Android 14 is coming to a Nothing Phone (2) near you 'over the next few days'
Just when you thought the unique-looking Nothing Phone (2) couldn't possibly get any more appealing following a new record high Amazon discount yesterday, the weirdly named company founded by Carl Pei decided to drop a big last-minute Christmas present on social media earlier today.
Glyph Interface
Gesture
More improvements
New Widgets
As detailed in full on the Nothing Community webpage, a hugely feature-packed Android 14 update is rolling out to the popular 6.7-inch handset in stable form, although it may take a few days for all users around the world to actually be able to download and install the massive collection of UI tweaks, performance enhancements, and security patches on their respective devices.
The official name of the update is Nothing OS 2.5, and even though a lot of Google's stock Android 14 revisions and add-ons are obviously included... in there somewhere, the UK-based tech outfit is primarily focusing on highlighting its very own proprietary improvements, extra customization options, new gestures, and new widgets.
Billed as Nothing's "most significant update since the launch of OS 2.0" (well, duh), Nothing OS 2.5 has been in public beta tests for around two months prior to its wide release, which makes us very optimistic about its stability now that it's been deemed ready for primetime.
Because you can never be too safe, the official Android 14-based Nothing OS 2.5 update is taking place in a "staggered" manner, which should allow the company to detect any and all outstanding issues and "ensure a smooth and stable deployment" for all.
Up next, of course, the Nothing Phone (1) is set to receive the exact same OS promotion in the relatively near future, but not before its own Open Beta program kicks off sometime by "the end of the year." Until then, be sure to check out the full Nothing Phone (2) changelog below, and if you're in possession of the handset, try to see if you can make the jump from Android 13 to 14 already:
Customisation
- Redesigned a joint Home Screen and Lock Screen customisation page and improved the edit wallpaper flow for a more comprehensive view of options.
- New Atmosphere wallpaper effect: Transform your background photo into a dynamic wallpaper that brings motion to colours on your home screen. A seamless transition between your lock and home screens.
- New Glass wallpaper effect: Add a Glass filter to give your favourite wallpaper a unique appearance.
- Introduced solid colour wallpapers for a cleaner Home Screen appearance.
- Added a monochrome colour theme in the basic colour section.
Glyph Interface
- Glyph Progress integration for Google Calendar. Keep track of your upcoming events with a 5-minute countdown on the Glyph Interface.
- Glyph Timer now supports time presets, allowing you to quickly set your desired duration.
- You can now access Glyph Timer directly from the lock screen without unlocking the device.
- Added an option to open the Glyph Timer popup by tapping instead of holding to accommodate for the Quick Settings widget.
- Added a new Glyph animation for when NFC is being used.
- Improved the experience of Flip to Glyph.
Gesture
- Customisable double-press power button to quickly access a chosen feature. Just head to Settings > System > Gestures.
- More Lock Screen shortcut options like: Do Not Disturb, Mute, QR code scanner, video camera.
- Capture screenshots quickly with a three-finger swipe gesture.
- New screenshot editor and menu, allowing for more advanced editing features and quick deletions.
More improvements
- Optimised the experience of the Weather app and improved the notification of weather alerts.
- Refreshed the back gesture arrow visual to be more in line with Nothing’s style.
- Made it possible to set ringtone and notification sound volumes separately, with an updated volume control interface.
- Updated Quick Settings layout and support to show more devices icons.
- Improved the stability of the camera.
- Enhanced overall system stability for a more reliable and smooth experience.
New Widgets
- Pedometer Widget: Track your daily steps directly from your home screen. Set goals and monitor your progress to stay motivated.
- Media Player Widget: Displays the currently playing song. Control your music easily while on-the-move.
- Screen Time Widget: Monitor and manage your daily screen time to maintain a healthy digital lifestyle.
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