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Nothing Phone 1 owners get Android 14 beta as early Christmas gift
- Nothing began rolling out the stable version of Nothing OS 2.5 to the Phone 2 last week.
- Nothing OS 2.5 is now rolling out in beta for the Phone 1.
- The update brings more customization, additional gesture controls, new widgets, and a few improvements.
Last Friday, Nothing announced it was bringing the stable version of Nothing OS 2.5 to the Phone 2. The company also said there would be an open beta released for the Phone 1 before the end of the year, but didn’t specify the release date. But it appears that the time is now, as the company has officially announced the open beta.
Only days after releasing the stable version of Nothing OS 2.5 — based on Android 14 — for the Phone 2, Nothing announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it is releasing OS 2.5 in open beta for the Phone 1 today. The social post in question is a clever holiday-themed message with wrapping paper-like images that reveal the announcement when clicked on.
Phone (1) users, open for a surprise pic.twitter.com/wMIKirblZB— Nothing (@nothing) December 19, 2023
Nothing OS 2.5 will bring a variety of new features and improvements to the Phone 1. One example is additional customization options, like a new atmosphere wallpaper effect that turns background photos into dynamic wallpapers. The open beta will also introduce more control gestures, new widgets, and a few improvements. If you want access to the open beta, you’ll first have to download it.
Here’s the full changelog for the Nothing OS 2.5 beta:
- Customization
- Redesigned a joint Home Screen and Lock Screen customization page and improved the edit wallpaper flow for a more comprehensive view of options.
- New Atmosphere wallpaper effect: Transform your background photo into a dynamic wallpaper that brings motion to colors on your home screen. A seamless transition between your lock and home screens.
- Introduced solid color wallpapers for a cleaner Home Screen appearance.
- Added a monochrome color theme in the basic color section.
- Gesture
- Customizable double-press power button to quickly access a chosen feature. Just head to Settings > System > Gestures.
- More Lock Screen shortcut options like: Do Not Disturb, Mute, QR code scanner, and video camera.
- Capture screenshots quickly with a three-finger swipe gesture.
- New screenshot editor and menu, allowing for more advanced editing features and quick deletions.
- New Widgets
- Pedometer Widget: Track your daily steps directly from your home screen. Set goals and monitor your progress to stay motivated.
- Media Player Widget: Displays the currently playing song. Control your music easily while on the move.
- Screen Time Widget: Monitor and manage your daily screen time to maintain a healthy digital lifestyle.
- More improvements
- Added a new Glyph animation for when NFC is being used.
- Improved the experience of Flip to Glyph.
- Optimized the experience of the Weather app and improved the notification of weather alerts.
- Refreshed the back gesture arrow visual to be more in line with Nothing’s style.
- Made it possible to set ringtone and notification sound volumes separately, with an updated volume control interface.
- Updated Quick Settings layout and support to show more device icons.
- Improved the stability of the camera.
- Enhanced overall system stability for a more reliable and smooth experience.