Since Nothing launched its first smartphone, the industry has considered the company's Nothing OS one of the best UIs around. It's minimalist, clean, and free from the bloatware you typically see in Chinese phones. However, that's no longer the case with the next update.
Nothing OS 4.0 beta
Yesterday, Nothing announced the 4th major version of its in-house Android UI. Based on Android 16, Nothing OS 4.0 will soon be available for the Nothing Phone (3a) series smartphones. The company continues to polish the UI, promising a "lighter, more refined, and uniquely Nothing" visual language. What this means is you can expect some updates to the UI's colours, icons, and more.
Third-party apps confirmed
Although Nothing OS was known for being a near-clean vanilla Android experience, Nothing OS 4.0 sees the inclusion of third-party apps. Nothing has assured fans that the apps were selected based on relevance and popularity. In other words, these apps are the ones you're likely going to download anyway. Instagram is believed to be one of the apps in the curated list, so the justification has merit.
Lockscreen ads?
Nothing 4.0 will also introduce a new Lock Glimpse feature, which will display "fresh, high-quality wallpapers" on the lock screen. This optional feature can also "surface timely updates and useful content". Kinda vague, but there are claims that this feature is Nothing's way of including lockscreen ads.
Inevitable move
Nothing is a small company, so it can't sell phones in quantities that larger ones like Samsung and Xiaomi can. In that sense, Nothing OS's addition of third-party apps and potentially lockscreen ads seems inevitable. This transition could provide the company with extra funding and keep the UI relatively bloat-free. Of course, you can download Nothing OS 4.0 beta and see for yourself.
Anyway, do you think this alienates Nothing fans who choose the brand for its clean UI? Share your thoughts on the topic in the comments below! And as always, stay tuned to TechNave for more updates like this.
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