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.
