Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta: 7 Shocking New Features
Nothing is yet to announce that its most ambitious operating system update, Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta, based on Android 16, is available for the beta testers, and with it, a bunch of new features that will change the way users interact with their smartphones. The update, which was launched on September 30, 2025, makes the smartphone do things that were only possible in the realm of science fiction, hence making it one of the most influential mobile OS updates of the year.
Table of Contents
1. AI-Powered Essential Apps: Create Custom Widgets with Simple Text Commands
The jaw-dropping aspect of the new features is, no doubt, Essential Apps, a setup that uses artificial intelligence in creating custom widgets on demand. All users have to do is describe the service they want in simple English; for example, “take pictures of receipts from the camera roll and create a finance-ready PDF every Friday”.
The AI will then create a working widget for them. The new and very transformative method so completely removes the necessity for the coding knowledge, but it still manages to deliver tailored functionality.
The Nothing Playground is a space where the community gathers, and the users can post the AI-made things they have created, such as the widgets, the camera presets, and the EQ profiles. The Nothing Phone (3) can have up to six widgets, while other models are temporarily limited to two for the best performance.
2. Revolutionary AI Usage Dashboard: Complete Transparency Over AI Activity
The new and improved AI Usage Dashboard that comes with Nothing OS 4.0 is located in Essential Space, and it is a last-minute solution to the problem of transparency regarding large language model activity. This avant-garde function maps out the exact AI devices, such as Whisper, GPT-4o, and Gemini Flash, that are running on a gadget with a bunch of other information.
The dashboard delivers the users with daily and weekly data, which is very useful when trying to control the AI functions in the device. Such an openness is new and promising in the smartphone industry, and it is addressing the issue of privacy that is constantly raised with AI being more and more integrated.
3. Game-Changing Stretch Camera Preset: Professional Photography Made Simple
The “Stretch” camera preset developed with stylist and fashion photographer Jordan Hemingway turns regular snapshots into movie-like quality photos. The preset enhances the photos with deep shadows and extended areas of brightness, providing the camera app a unique and trendy look right away without the need for post-editing.
The feature is available on Nothing Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus editions only. It is just that the feature changes the whole process of taking pictures; thus, the photos will have much more vivid contrast that closely resembles one done by professional editing software. /p> 4. Next Level Pop-up View: Dual Floating App Revolution
Pop-up View, a newly developed feature, allowed the users to work with two floating apps at once, thus revolutionising mobile device multitasking. They are better off only having to switch between WhatsApp and Maps when they want to check a message; there is no need to close and open the apps again.
The users can swipe to minimise the windows, and they can also pull down to open full-screen mode. This feature turns how users navigate between several different applications into a much more available and quicker multitasking experience.
5. Ultra Immersive Extra Dark Mode: Beyond Traditional Dark Themes
Extra Dark Mode is introduced by Nothing OS 4.0, which is not just another dark theme but one that changes the whole interface to absolute black. This dark mode effectively minimises the user’s eye strain during the night hours while also maximising the battery saving on the OLED screen.
This feature delivers a more immersive experience that is in line with Nothing’s minimalist design philosophy and at the same time provides the users with practical benefits in terms of longer device usage. By following the path Settings > Display > Dark theme > Extra dark mode, users can easily switch to this mode.
6. Revolutionary TrueLens Engine: Camera and Gallery Transformation
With the TrueLens Engine, nothing is intended to change the camera, and the gallery experience is not less but a total renovation. Just with the introduction of this innovation, users receive better control, optimised presets, and a more interactive interface with decreased waiting times for capturing and previewing photos.
TrueLens has enabled faster and more natural transitions between camera and gallery functions with the addition of creative presets that have elevated the user to a higher level of photography experience. Among the improvements that they have made, the gallery loading is 25% faster than Google Photos.
7. Enhanced System Wide Performance: Speed and Stability Redefined
Nothing OS 4.0 delivers comprehensive system-level optimisations that dramatically improve app launch speeds and overall responsiveness. The new features of the update are visible through App Optimisation options, which can be easily found in Settings > Apps > App Optimisation, where users are allowed to choose the way the applications are launched and run in the background.
Besides the enhanced lock screen and Always On Display performance, optimised brightness behaviour, extended Bluetooth and Wi Fi connectivity range and system stability, the update also adds support for 2×2 Quick Settings tiles and new lock screen clock faces for improved personalisation.-Fi
Availability and Installation beta
The Nothing OS 4.0 Open Beta is currently available for Nothing Phone (3), Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus. The Phone (3a) series will receive the update in October with additional exclusive features. Registration for the open beta closes on October 14, 2025.
To install the beta, users must first install the Beta Updates Hub APK, then go to Settings > System > Nothing Beta Hub and click on the Join the Beta button. Nothing advises that this is a beta version of the software and therefore recommends that users back up their data first before proceeding with the installation.
Nothing OS version 4.0 is a complete turnabout for the mobile operating system market, where customisation through AI is combined with simple and highly effective daily smartphone use experience improvements. These seven surprising features make Nothing the best of the Android innovation race by far, thus being the leader in the setting of user expectations for their mobile devices.
