The original Nothing Phone (1) is now catching up to its newer sibling with the Nothing OS 2.0 update. The update has just started rolling out, but it’s an incremental process so you will need a bit of patience.
Note that this version of the software is based on Android 13. The Phone (1) originally launched with Android 12 and got v13 with Nothing OS 1.5. A future Nothing OS based on Android 14 is in beta.
Anyway, back to Nothing OS 2.0. The update weighs just under a gigabyte, which is refreshing to see (Nothing is keeping things pretty light). This software was running on the Phone (2) out of the box, now owners of the Phone (1) are getting some of the new features.
Change log: Nothing OS 2.0 for the Nothing Phone (1) (image credit)
Customization is a major focus of this version. The design of Nothing widgets has been updated and the Nothing launcher now has a refined grid layout, it lets you hide icon labels and folders are more customizable too. There is a monochromatic icon pack available if you’re into that style.
The Glyph Interface is now at version 2.0 as well with two new features. First, Essential Notifications allows select contacts and apps to leave a persistent notification. Second, Glyph Torch can be used as a flashlight, just long-press the Torch toggle in the notification shade.
Nothing OS 2.0 also brings useful app features. Cloned Apps allows you to use multiple accounts in apps that don’t natively support it. The App Locker lets you hide sensitive apps behind biometric authentication.
If you haven’t gotten the notification yet, head over to Settings, System, System Update to check manually. Again, you may need to wait a bit before the update reaches your phone.
