Nothing OS 2.5 will finally make its long-awaited debut on the Nothing Phone 2 over the coming days. The OS, which has been inbeta for a couple months now, is based onAndroid 14, which in itself was released in October on Google Pixel smartphones and the like. Along with this news comes the announcement that Nothing Phone 1 owners will also get to test out the new operating system before the calendar turns over to 2024.
In October, Nothing Phone 2 users got a taste of the newest Android OS via anopen beta program that allowed for public testing. This was far better and earlier — two months earlier — than the Nothing Phone 1’s Android 13 beta program that only welcomed in asmall group of usersand opened exactly one year ago today, July 26, 2025. Based on that, it’s either accidental or intentional irony that Nothing announced its latest OS is ready to roll on its latest phone.
Nothing’s improvements are vast. Besides normal Android 14 functionality, Nothing OS 2.5 brings with it many new widgets, like a media player and screen time display, additional home screen theme and wallpaper customization, a three-finger screenshot gesture, and more (via9to5Google). Finally, the public open beta for the Nothing Phone 1’s version of Nothing OS 2.5 will launch within the next two weeks, or, as Nothing worded it, “before the end of the year.”
It’s interesting seeing a smartphone company build up from its relative infancy, but it’s impossible to say Nothing is a rags-to-riches story. Carl Pei, Nothing’s founder, brings a wealth of industry knowledge and connections from his time running and co-founding OnePlus 10 years ago.OnePlus itself launches flagship phones at lower pricesthan its other high-spec competitors like Samsung which has no doubt been influenced by Pei.
It didn’t take long for Nothing to begin finding its way after theNothing Phone 1 was, honestly, just okay;Nothing found its niche with the Phone 2. While we know next to nothing about theNothing Phone 3, Nothing is planning to make some sort of announcement at MWC Barcelona in late February that could have something to do with its next flagship or the rumoredNothing Phone 2a, an option that would be even more wallet-friendly. AfterNothing announced its accessory line, CMF, back in August, there’s no telling how successful the company could be if it dominates the mid-range power, budget-friendly price slice of the smartphone ecosystem.
