I've been using Nothing since its early days, and this isn't a hate post. I genuinely like what the brand stands for, its design philosophy, and the clean software experience that made Nothing different from other smartphone brands.

But lately, I've been wondering: is Nothing actually moving forward, or are we becoming too attached to the brand to acknowledge its problems?

Starting with Nothing OS 5.0, I like that Nothing is trying new things. The redesigned Quick Settings panel, the visual changes, and the new interface elements show that the company isn't afraid to experiment. But honestly, some of these changes feel more flashy than functional to me.

The new UI looks fresh, but the sluggishness and occasional animation stutters I've experienced take away from that polished feeling. A redesigned panel means very little if interacting with it doesn't feel consistently smooth. And I'm not the only one reporting this; other Phone (3) users have raised similar concerns after updating.

Then there's the camera.

This is something that has bothered me for a while. Sometimes the camera produces genuinely beautiful photos, and other times the results feel inconsistent, even in similar conditions. I want to trust the camera when I open it, not wonder which version of its image processing I'm going to get that day.

What's more frustrating is seeing reports of the camera freezing or crashing after OS 5.0. I've also experienced camera crashes myself since the update. Maybe these issues will be fixed with subsequent patches, but shouldn't a major stable update improve reliability rather than introduce new problems?

And these aren't the only concerns people have raised recently:

\- UI consistency: Some users have criticised the new interface's spacing, icon sizing, and visual consistency across different system screens.

\- Performance and animations: Reports of lag, stuttering, and delayed interactions following the OS 5.0 update.

\- App reliability: Some users have reported apps failing to open, becoming unresponsive, or crashing after updating.

\- Display issues: The black crush and green tint concerns on the Phone (3) have also been discussed, with users reporting that the OS 5.0 update hasn't resolved them.

\- Polish versus features: Nothing continues adding visual changes and features, but the fundamentals—consistent performance, camera reliability, and bug-free updates—still need attention.

These aren't necessarily problems affecting every device or user. I'm bringing them up because they're recurring concerns in the community, not because I think every Nothing phone is broken.

My bigger concern is the competition.

Other Android brands are moving quickly with camera processing, software features, customisation, and overall refinement. Nothing doesn't need to copy Samsung, Google, OnePlus, or anyone else. Its identity is precisely what attracted many of us in the first place.

But having a distinctive identity isn't enough forever. The software needs to feel just as distinctive in quality as it does in design.

I don't want Nothing to become another brand that prioritises marketing new features over fixing existing issues. I'd rather see a smaller update that genuinely improves stability and camera consistency than a major update that looks impressive in screenshots but feels less reliable in everyday use.

And before anyone says I'm just hating on Nothing: I'm criticising it because I actually want it to succeed. Being a fan shouldn't mean pretending every decision is right.

So, what do you guys genuinely think?

Is Nothing still moving in the right direction, and are these just normal growing pains for a relatively young brand? Or is the company starting to fall behind competitors in areas that matter more than design?

I'd especially like to hear from people who've used Nothing phones for multiple years, as well as those who have switched from Nothing to another brand. What has genuinely improved, and what still frustrates you?

I'm open to different opinions. I'd just prefer an actual discussion rather than treating every criticism as hate.

It would be nice to be able to change the outline colour to black would be a nice addition.

Last year i bought my nothing 3a, and an adapter which cost me around 1500 . Now my adapter is broken and I can see its fake one. And also after the new update I am getting a constant "Your phone is not charging at the maximum speed. Tap here to learn how to speed it up" notification.

I'm no more shocked by these anymore

Title is provocative, I know. Still, as someone who's been using the 3a and now 4a as soon as they've been released, I waited eagerly for this update. Now that it's here, it feels like some Nothing 4.2 update that we could've gotten on the side.

I don't feel like Nothing OS has reached a point of saturation where you can only add bloat.

Some useful things that I'm missing:

- The lucent design needs to be *everywhere* - Why bother introducing it, when it feels like some afterthought. I want icons, quick settings, settings to have this. Make it cohesive.

- More intentional use of the vibration motor. What I mean: when you long press for circle to search on a pixel, there is this satisfying build up happening. On Nothing phones only the end gets a quick vibration. There are also other places where it couldn't hurt to redesign this

- The status bar icons are still too small. The battery could be larger, same goes for the number inside it.

- Better use of live notification. I see this on maps already, why isn't it there for the clock app? Maybe delivery apps. If you wanna make people use their phone more intentionally, you don't wanna make them pull up their notifications, so they get distracted

- Why not give certain elements a lighting rework. Means: when something is playing, there could be a subtle glow. Kinda goes hand in hand with the glyphs. Feels more cohesive.

- Let us remap the essential key. Nothing to add here

There is much more, but I think adding these things would've made for an actual NOS 5.0 update

Nothing OS, this update feels incredibly half-baked, and honestly, it’s frustrating.

Let’s start with the basics. Why can’t I turn off Wi-Fi directly from the Quick Settings panel? And when I want to enable mobile data, why do I have to go through an additional step? These are basic functions that should be quick and effortless, not unnecessarily complicated. Even the hotspot section fails to clearly show how many devices are connected.

Quick Settings also needs proper haptic feedback. Whenever I turn a toggle on or off, there should be subtle haptic feedback confirming that the action has been registered. These small details make the interface feel responsive and polished. Right now, even basic interactions lack that sense of refinement.

Then come the animations. The sluggish animations introduced in this update simply don’t suit Nothing OS. Nothing has always had its own distinct visual identity, and blindly adopting stock Android’s design choices shouldn’t come at the cost of that identity.

Speaking of design, the translucent theme is one of the worst decisions in this update. The implementation feels poorly thought out, and instead of improving the visual experience, it makes the interface feel less polished. The stock icons introduced in this version also feel awkward, especially coming from Nothing OS 4. The transition feels jarring, and the icons don’t seem to blend naturally with the visual identity Nothing has built over time.

The system fonts are inconsistent, too, with little visual hierarchy. Everything feels too uniform, making it difficult to distinguish between an app name, a message, and the person who sent it in notifications.

There’s also a noticeable scaling issue. System settings look smaller and less comfortable to read compared to Nothing OS 5. The notification redesign makes things worse, with text elements appearing almost identical in weight and prominence. Notifications should be easy to scan at a glance, not require extra effort to understand.

The Settings app is another major disappointment. The placement of options feels scattered and poorly organised, as if settings have simply been thrown together without a consistent structure. The overall layout lacks the polish and logical organisation you'd expect from a major OS update. Finding options should feel intuitive, not like a scavenger hunt. A redesign should improve navigation and consistency, not make the Settings app feel less cohesive.

Google has also introduced more customisation options for the appearance of status bar icons and home screen icons. Why can’t Nothing offer similar flexibility? At the very least, give users a choice between different icon styles and appearances. Not everyone wants the same look, and customisation has always been an important part of the Android experience. Nothing should build on that idea rather than limit it.

And what exactly are these new animations supposed to achieve? The status bar animations are barely noticeable, and an airplane mode animation? Seriously, is that supposed to be a meaningful upgrade? Nobody asked for flashy, insignificant animations while fundamental usability issues remain unresolved.

The recent apps screen is another disappointment. Google has made questionable design decisions with its recent apps interface, and Nothing seems to be following the same path instead of retaining what worked well in its own implementation. Just because Google changes something doesn’t mean it’s worth copying.

The features introduced with Nothing OS 5 already felt underwhelming in some areas, and this update doesn’t do enough to make the experience feel meaningfully better. Instead, it seems like visual changes are being prioritised over practical improvements.

Nothing, please make a choice: either embrace stock Android’s design language properly and implement it consistently, or continue building on the unique identity that made Nothing OS stand out in the first place. Don’t take bits and pieces from Google’s design, introduce them halfway, and leave the overall experience feeling inconsistent.

An update should make the phone feel more refined, intuitive, and enjoyable to use. It shouldn’t make basic actions more complicated, reduce readability, disrupt familiar iconography, or sacrifice a distinctive design identity for changes that barely matter.

If you’re going to introduce something new, do it properly. Focus on consistency, usability, visual hierarchy, intuitive settings placement, responsive haptics, meaningful customisation, and smoothness before adding cosmetic features that nobody asked for.

And if there’s a Nothing community where we can share feedback, I’d genuinely encourage everyone who feels the same way to speak up, share their experiences, and upvote these concerns. The goal isn’t to criticise Nothing for the sake of criticism; it’s to help the team understand what users actually want and expect from Nothing OS. The more constructive feedback we collectively provide, the better the chances of getting these issues noticed and addressed. Let’s push this feedback together and make our voices heard so we can help Nothing OS become better for everyone. We chose Nothing because it offered something different, and we want to see that identity improve, not disappear.

Hi from India.

If used a microfiber cloth to rub, it goes away slightly but not entirely. Is it because of the tempered glass (it's from spigen, so quality is not a question). But i wonder if I messed up with the application of the tempered glass ..

Ciao a tutti!

Ho un iphone 13, comprato circa 3 anni fa. Andava benissimo, ma adesso si surriscalda molto, la batteria non dura quasi niente, e alcune volte lagga. Quindi, ho visto per la prima volta nothing phone 4A, il prezzo, e onestamente mi piace molto.
Ne vale la pena? 369€, dovrei comprarlo prossimo mese se lo trovo in negozio, durante il periodo del black friday.
Le mie domande sono:
Com'è la telecamera?
La batteria quanto dura?
Il telefono lagga?

Penso che le app che userò di piu siano whatsapp, tiktok, instagram, discord, e app cosi. Forse qualche gioco leggero, forse.

Voi che lo avete, come vi state trovando?

I'm really curious, I want to costume my apps and widgets, but I don't know what apps or tricks are available, please help me 😭

Psst psst.. it's ON.

I'm getting really really frustrated now with os 5,

Constant half visible clipped notification pop ups.

So bad/blunt animation easing, anyone who've ever worked on animating things will know bad they messed up, notice the blunt string jittery ending towards the end of an animation/pull/transition of a panel, especially notification panel.

That's what an amateur motion designer on his day 2 usually makes.

Now half the time I'm confused with this wifi thing.

And this extreme hdr that auto applies on everything, I can't take a single photo of my cats, it looks 🤮🤮, I kind of hopes they'll fix it.

I just updated my Nothing Phone (2a) to the NothingOS 5 open beta. Why didn't I get the translucent effect? ​​Does anyone know why, or can someone help?

Hello, I just changed phones 3 months ago and I was wondering if I'm the only one: what's wrong with the keyboard? Are my fingers too big? One out of every two letters isn't the one I want to type. It everything aroung the letter i want except the one I want; even the small settings bar at the top, I click on it every time, it's unbearable.Give me your feedback :))

Hello, Is this phone worth the price in UK at £550 or should i get something else. Is this better than an iPhone Air for example or should i wait for the RedMagic 12? I just want something cool and decent quality. Thanks

Phone 3a, OS 5.0 beta, battery saver on

Guys, I was driving and had my phone mounted on a mobile holder when it suddenly fell off 🙂.

The screen guard got damaged near the bottom-left corner.

When I removed the screen guard, I noticed a tiny pixel dot on the actual display (image attached).

Everything else seems fine, but I'm worried that the display might be damaged internally.

Am I cooked? 😬 Has anyone experienced something similar? Is there a chance it'll stay like this, or could it get worse over time?

Hey!

For a while, I've been looking for a clean, no-nonsense music player that just works without any unnecessary bloatware. Since nothing (pun intended) quite hit the spot, I built my own pet project: xaos-music-player.

You can check out the source code and repo in my bio at "Xaos Music Player"

It's completely open source. Feel free to try it out, break it, and let me know your thoughts or suggestions. If you run into any bugs or have ideas for cool features, drop an issue or a PR!

Key features are:

-Nothing OS style

-Custom themes that you can create

-Windows + Android

-Local music, OR you can search and download any song you don't have

-Sync library (songs, playlists, favorites, lyrics, data and themes) between devices (working on a wireless version)

-Lyrics in sync

-Multiband EQ with virtualization

-Homescreen widget with cover and lyrics in sync

-Listening reports

-Automatic playlists

-Sleep timer

-Edit song and album data, with the possibility to add cover arts, organizing etc

In all the promotional material shared officially by nothing about the micrographic clock style they say that you can take a peek at what your day looks like and still in the official release they haven't been able to add a way to connect the clock to your calendar.

This was one of the 2 things I was excited for in Nothing OS 5.0 (the other being collectors widget). I hope they are at least able to provide this in future updates.

Edit: It's working now, i had to turn on sync with google account in the essential space app

Bought my Nothing Phone (4a) Pro on 12 Oct 2026 in India, and within a few days I noticed a dark spot on the circular Glyph Matrix on the back. It looks like an air bubble or void under the cover, and the pixel grid looks different inside it (photos attached).

The phone hasn't been dropped, wet or opened, so it looks like a manufacturing or bonding defect. I've contacted Nothing support to ask for a replacement, but their form only accepts text.

Has anyone else seen this on the 4a Pro? If you got a replacement, how did Nothing handle it, and how long did it take?

Thanks!

These apps work on most Android phones, not just the Nothing Phones.

Planning on uploading these to GitHub soon.

Slides 1-4: NClock

Slide 5: NStats

Slides 6&7: NTuner

Slide 8: NWeather

Slide 9: NCards

Slides 10-13: NWordle

Slides 14-17: NTone

It's been 2 weeks getting used to android, but so far im a fan of everything. After a couple months / weeks / years of usage, what do you find the most annoying about Nothing? I'm currently on Nothing 4a pro OS 4? I BELIEVE. The OS is new to me, but I'm seeing new things about OS 5 that gets me excited about the update. Also, don't particularly like how washed out it makes me look. Any settings to change that?