Very few Android phones remain close to AOSP these days, and while the Nothing Phone (1) won’t arrive in the U.S., it’s an interesting first entry for Carl Pei’s startup. Sold as clean and lightweight, what’s different about Nothing OS? Here is everything you need to know.
While there are similarities, Nothing OS contains some key tweaks to take advantage of the unique design and hardware of this new Android participant. Undoubtedly, there are some hints of the first OxygenOS here that former OnePlus fans may have looking at the GV-backed brand.
Footage – Nothing from the full operating system
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Pre-installed applications
Nothing OS is a very light skin on top of Android 12, and you’re probably glad to know that inflated or pre-installed apps are kept to a minimum.
- Nothing Launcher: although technically not an “application”, the stock launcher that comes preinstalled
- Recorder: This application is developed in collaboration with Teenage Engineering. It includes options to focus on voice, your immediate environment, and even allows you to record audio in higher bit rate formats of up to 256 kbps in AAC.
- Camera: Nothing has developed a camera app. It’s basic and well-organized with a touch of Google’s camera and even the iOS camera app. There is night mode, Google Lens integration, expert mode and a video recording with a 4K UHD limit of 30 fps. However, it is limited to 1080p 30fps when recording in HDR mode is active.
Quick setup
Some of the most notable changes from Nothing OS to the Google Pixel series can be found in the Quick Setup drop-down section or in the notification shadow.
- Six-Tab Design: Unlike AOSP versions of Android 12, Nothing OS has room for six tabs instead of the four standards seen on Pixel phones with the latest mobile software. This includes two persistent changes to the Internet and Bluetooth. They can’t be changed, but it reduces the number of quick-set switches you can add to the dashboard.
- The Wi-Fi section adds a mobile hotspot: When you expand the mobile data switch or Wi-Fi, it opens the Internet pop-up panel. Here’s a new mobile hotspot for quick network and data sharing.
- Bluetooth floating menu: When you tap the Bluetooth switch, a speed dial tool opens, allowing you to reconnect to accessories or add new hardware. This is different from the Pixel, where the switch itself simply turns off or on Bluetooth connectivity.
As seen in the beta version of Nothing Launcher prior to release, there are a number of widgets designed based on the aesthetics of the dot matrix cultivated by Nothing since the release of the Ear (1) headphones.
- Analog Clock: A simple Swiss-style clock with the current date displayed.
- Digital clock: two-line digital clock in the form of a dot matrix source.
- Weather: A large digital weather icon is visible with the temperature and weather conditions in the form of text below.
- Quick view: Almost identical to the “At a Glance” widget found on Google Pixel devices, it shows the current weather and temperature with an icon and in text form with the current day and date also visible. This can be removed from the home screen, but is persistent on the Nothing OS lock screen.
Configuration
The Nothing OS Configuration section includes some minor modifications to accommodate some of the added hardware features.
- Glyph interface: new section dedicated to custom lighting on the back of the smartphone panel.
- About your device screen: The “About your phone” page has a Nothing Phone PNG (1) with the different color of your device. Here are more details, including device specifications, such as processor and RAM.
Material You and personalization
Not all Android appearances support Google’s wider material and dynamic color changes right away, even after you’ve upgraded to Android 12. No operating system supports the two basic Android components 12 from the box.
- Customization: There is no operating system that includes the “Screen Font and Style” section, but instead of being the only customization section, the “Customization” section also allows you to choose an icon pack.
- Wallpaper and style: This section is exactly the same as you will find on Pixel phones. The wallpaper-based theme system is automatically applied based on the background colors and tones of the predefined phone. You can also choose from four preset color options.
- Application Grid: Unfortunately, the application grid for Nothing Launcher only offers 4 × 5 and 5 × 5 design options.
Camera
Of course, the Nothing Phone (1) camera needs an app, and so Nothing OS includes a fairly standard set of photography and videography options from the box. The dual camera setup consists of a 50-megapixel Sony IMX 766 main sensor and a 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 ultra-wide.
- Photo modes
- Portrait mode: A basic mode that allows the addition of software-based background blur. It can be adjusted manually from f / 0.95 to f / 16.
- Here
- Macro: The JN1 ultrawide is used for close-up macro photos.
- Expert: includes controls for white balance, focus point, shutter speed, ISO and EV. RAW image support is also included for wide and ultra-wide lenses.
- Video modes
- HDR: High dynamic range video provides greater color space for clips. Limited to 720 / 1080p at 30 fps using the main sensor.
- Time-lapse: Adjustable from 15x to 960x for short videos of long periods.
- Slow motion: limited to 120 fps, but can be set to 720 / 1080p.
- Glyph Fill Light: A new flash mode lets you set up your Glyph dashboard to provide soft fill lighting in both video and photo modes. This mimics professional soft lights with diffusion instead of bright flashes of light.
Show
- Always on display: Out of the box, the always on display feature is off. You need to go to Settings> Display> Lock screen> Always show basic lock screen information to activate it.
Glyph interface
The most striking and biggest selling point of the Nothing Phone (1) are the “Glyph” lighting strips under the clear glass panel on the back of the device. You can’t completely customize your lighting, but use preset patterns for individual applications or contacts.
- Ringtones
- Tire, Open, Weft, Beetle, Squirrels, Snaps, Radiated, Tennis, Coded, Scribble.
- Notification sounds
- Oi !, Bulb One, Bulb Two, Guiro, Volley, Gargoyles, Insulator, Gamma, Bec, No.
- Charge meter: When using a wired charging cable, the light bar above the USB-C charging port will fill to show the current charge level.
- Google Wizard Comments: The light bar above the USB-C charging port will light up with animations to indicate that the Google Wizard is responding to comments using the activation words “Ok Google “or” OK Google “.
- Flip to Glyph: A “Flip to Shhh” clone on the Nothing operating system that will set your device to Do Not Disturb, turn off vibration and sound, and turn on light-only notifications when placed down on a surface.
- Bedtime Scheduling: A way to schedule Glyph lighting to be turned off during bedtime or at the default times.
What do you think of Nothing OS?
It’s not uncommon to see new Android skins coming in with new startups that are just as weird. Should Nothing OS continue to adopt an AOSP-like design and aesthetic? Or would you like to see more tweaks and adjustments to adapt the hardware? Do you like what you’ve seen so far? Let us know in the comments section below.
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