Nothing founder Carl Pei has announced that the Phone 1 will receive Android 13 beta update by the end of this year. A stable release will follow in early 2023.
Highlighting how Nothing had already pushed out three system updates to improve camera quality and battery life of Phone 1 since launch, Pei said the brand won’t rush on updates at the expense of user experience.
Pei— who has previously co-founded smartphone brand OnePlus— had recently said a product was more than just its specs, features, and version numbers while responding to a Twitter user query about Phone 1 Android 13 update plans. This was followed by a more direct response from the brand confirming the update wasn’t coming this year.
Also Read | Nothing Phone 1 isn’t getting Android 13 update anytime soon; Carl Pei gives reason why
Phone 1 runs Nothing OS, a proprietary operating system based on Android, and is eligible to get three years of major OS and up to four years of security updates. It runs Android version 12 at the time of writing.
Nothing’s chosen to go with unadulterated near stock Android with its debut smartphone. The phone, though it has a skin or Nothing OS on top, is clean without excess bloat or unwanted apps. The only first-party apps the phone is shipping with are recorder and camera. Rest, it’s all Google apps and services.
More than the software, which is stand-out no doubt, it’s the phone’s hardware that’s been drawing a lot of attention. The Phone 1 has a unique see-through back with LED lighting that you can customise from the phone’s settings menu. Elsewhere, the Phone 1 is a typical midranger with slick hardware including a fast 120Hz screen and wireless charging. The phone recently got a price hike in India and now starts at Rs 33,999 going all the way up to Rs 39,999.
