Nothing OS 5.0 arrives in open beta to the Phone (2a) and the Phone (2a) Plus
Nothing has started distributing the Nothing OS 5.0 open beta to two of its most affordable models. As confirmed by the company’s support account, the update is already arriving at Telephone (2a) and to Phone (2a) Pluswhich thus comply with the schedule scheduled for mid-October. The stable version for these two terminals is scheduled for mid-November, although the deployment will be done in phases depending on region and operator.
Whoever wants to sign up will have to do it quickly, because The beta access channel will be open for seven days before closing to more users. The process is the usual one, namely installing the latest stable version of the system, downloading the Nothing Beta Hub V2.0 (previous versions are no longer useful) and registering from Settings, System and Nothing Beta Hub.
Remember that installing the beta does not erase data, because it runs as an update. Now, Nothing itself recommends making a backup and warns that the phone may heat up and consume more than normal for a while after the update. Also, if you want to go back to the previous version, you will have to erase the entire device.
What you will find when you launch the new system
Nothing OS 5.0 is built on Android 17 and, from there, it inherits the ability to separate notifications from quick settings, the new Quick Share with QR code generation to share files with an iPhone using a secure web link, improved privacy indicators and a redesigned recent screen. The layer itself adds, for its part, the Geist font, updated icons and revised designs in Settings, Camera, Gallery and the status bar.
Among the new functions, the Glyph Timer stands out, which allows you to launch countdowns from the home screen, along with a Glyph application that brings together all the settings of the luminous interface. Also arriving are Collector, which turns photos into stickers for the home screen, and Away Time, which starts counting when you leave your phone on the table and records your longest breaks throughout the week. The Bluetooth controls in quick settings have been redesigned and you can now move multiple apps and widgets on the home screen at once.
It is good to know that not everything is there. The revamped home screen, with background-matched colors, tinted icons and transparent widgets, and the Micrographics watch face are still in development and are reserved for the stable release. The Essential Space improvements, for their part, are distributed separately through Google Play.
