Nothing OS 4.0 rolls out to Phone 3a and 3a Pro with major upgrades: What's new and fixed?

By Admin

01 Dec, 2025

Nothing has officially expanded the Android 16-based Nothing OS 4.0 rollout to the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, bringing a wave of powerful upgrades, smarter AI tools, visual refinements, and major improvements across the system. The update first debuted on the flagship Phone 3 last week, and is now making its way to more users in a limited rollout phase. A broader release is expected once the company completes its initial testing cycle.

AI Tools for Smarter Usage

A key highlight of Nothing OS 4.0 is the new AI usage dashboard. Designed for better transparency, it tracks large-model activity whenever users interact with Essential Space. This gives users clearer insights into how AI processes are running in the background. Nothing has also improved app management users can now hide apps directly from the home screen or app drawer, and refined search scope controls help narrow down results with precision.

More Widget Flexibility and Faster App Launching

Widgets get a boost with expanded size options for Weather, Pedometer, and Screen Time. The update also adds wider 2×2 support for Quick Settings tiles, making home screen layouts even more customizable. Multitasking receives an upgrade too: Pop-up view now supports two floating icons, and a new app optimisation setting ensures apps launch quicker and run more efficiently.

Upgrades to Essential Space and New Community Tools

Nothing is further strengthening its Essential Space environment. Flip to Record now lets users capture photos and add notes during video recording, neatly grouping all media for better accessibility later.
A new Playground (Alpha) feature brings community-driven creativity into the OS. Users can explore Essential Apps, Camera Presets, and EQ profiles most available in preview form allowing more ways to personalise their device with AI-powered capabilities.

Visual Refresh and Smoother Experience

Nothing OS 4.0 introduces a refreshed visual design with redesigned app icons, cleaner status bar elements, and two new lock screen clock styles. The Extra Dark Mode is perfect for users who prefer deeper, high-contrast visuals. Enhanced animations across the interface ensure a smoother, more fluid experience overall.

Glyph Interface Upgrades and Better Camera Tools

The iconic Glyph Interface has become more customisable. Users can now decide whether Flip to Glyph should activate Silent or Vibrate mode. Glyph Progress also switches to Android 16’s Live Update notifications, improving compatibility with a wider range of apps.

Photography gets a substantial boost as well. The updated camera system brings:

• New camera presets
• More filters with adjustable intensity
• Motion Photos with longer capture and audio support
• Fresh watermarks and artistic framing options
• A redesigned camera UI with improved workflow

These enhancements collectively elevate the Phone 3a and 3a Pro’s imaging experience.

Limited Rollout Before Wider Release

For now, Nothing is delivering the stable Nothing OS 4.0 update to a limited pool of Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro users. Once early feedback confirms stability, the rollout will expand to all users. As always, backing up device data is recommended before installing major updates.

Nothing OS 4.0 marks one of the most feature-packed updates from the brand, merging AI innovation, community tools, visual refinement, and practical performance boosts all aimed at making the user experience more seamless and intuitive.