Nothing OS 4 based on Android 16 releases on Nov 21: Check what's coming

Nothing OS 4 will begin rolling out to eligible Nothing and CMF smartphones from November 21. The update is based on Android 16

British consumer electronics brand Nothing has announced that it will be releasing its Android 16-based NothingOS 4.0 update for users starting November 21. The company has not yet provided the detailed schedule of release, however, Nothing’s flagship phone Nothing Phone 3 is likely to receive the update first, followed by the Nothing Phone 3a series devices which were launched earlier this year.

 

Nothing announced the Nothing OS 4.0 open beta in October, which allowed select users to test the new user interface ahead of public release. Apart from the Nothing Phone 3 and Phone 3a series models, the open beta version of the update is also available on Nothing Phone 2 and Phone 2a series smartphones. So it is likely that these smartphones will also get the stable version soon. 

Nothing OS 4.0: New features

Essential Space updates

On the Nothing Phone 3, Essential Space now includes an updated AI activity dashboard. Nothing says this view gives users a clearer picture of how large AI models operate on the device, offering more transparency around on-device AI usage.

 

The update also rolls out several performance improvements across the system, including:

• Faster lock screen and always-on display responsiveness
• Smarter brightness handling in different environments
• Better camera consistency and stability
• Enhanced Bluetooth pairing and connection strength
• Improved Wi-Fi behaviour and overall network reliability
• General stability refinements across the OS

Essential Apps and Playground

Nothing OS 4.0 introduces Essential Apps — lightweight, AI-enabled widgets that users can create and share through Playground. The Nothing Phone 3 can host up to six of these widgets on the home screen, while other supported devices are currently limited to two.

Photography upgrades

A standout addition in Nothing OS 4.0 is the new “Stretch” camera preset, created in collaboration with fashion photographer Jordan Hemingway. The preset applies a distinctive visual treatment directly within the Camera app, adding deeper shadows, expanded highlights and a more cinematic overall tone. Nothing says the aim is to allow users to shoot stylised photos straight out of the camera, without needing to edit afterward.

App optimisation tools

The update also brings a new App Optimisation system that lets users influence how apps launch and behave in the background. By managing resource allocation more intelligently, the feature helps apps start quicker and enables smoother multitasking, especially across frequently used services.

Other new features

• Pop-up View: The new Pop-up View supports two floating app icons, making it easier to jump between tasks. A swipe up on the bottom edge shrinks a window, while pulling down expands it back to full screen.
• Design refresh: Nothing OS 4.0 introduces a cleaner visual style, with a more polished look across system elements. The update adds new lock screen clock choices, unifies key UI components and updates the Quick Settings layout for a more cohesive experience.
• Extra Dark Mode: Nothing says the enhanced dark mode delivers deeper blacks and is designed to reduce eye strain, while also helping improve power efficiency on supported displays.