Quick Summary
The CMF Phone 1 has access to the Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta, giving owners an early taste of future software.
The update – although not final – brings a range of changes, including early Android 15 elements.
If there’s one brand that’s making waves in tech at the moment, it’s Nothing. The London startup – the brainchild of ex-OnePlus founder Carl Pei – has impressed with its affordable headphones, interesting phone designs and a dedication to making the phone user experience a little more exciting.
During 2024, Nothing Tech launched an affordable sub-brand called CMF. CMF is defined by its quirky designs, a far cry from the boring entry-level devices that many rivals put out. Of course, one of the advantages of having a smaller selection of phones, is that you can move faster with your updates.
That’s what’s happened here, with the CMF Phone 1 getting access to Android 15 through the Nothing beta. I know what you’re going to say – and I agree – it’s not a final Android 15 release, but it characterises the sort of customer-first mentality that we’ve seen from Nothing. Cheaper devices are usually last on the list to get access to new software, but that’s not the case here.
The Nothing beta rolled out just recently, beating Samsung to the punch and giving the Nothing community a taste of what is to come.
What does the update bring to the CMF Phone 1?
The Nothing OS 3.0 Open Beta – which is based on Android 15 – is being pushed as the software experience that Nothing always wanted. The company has detailed a number of changes that it brings, and as always with beta software, there’s a warning that you upgrade at your own risk and some elements might not be complete.
Here are some of the highlights of what to expect from the new software version:
- Shared widgets
- Lock screen customisation
- AI-powered smart drawer to organise apps
- App pinning in the drawer
- New Quick Settings design
- Faster camera launch
- Improved zoom slider
- New pop-up view experience
- Auto-archive for unused apps
- New setup wizard
- Partial screen sharing
- New animations for unlocking and charging
A couple of the new elements come from Android 15 (setup optimisation, auto-archiving and partial screen sharing), while much of the rest comes from Nothing’s own development. Note that there’s no mention of the Nothing Gallery here. The new gallery recently leaked in an incomplete form, lacking any AI elements.
It’s not known what degree of AI the CMF Phone 1 will get in 2025. It’s known that the Nothing Phone (3) will lead the charge for AI on Nothing devices, exactly what trickle down there will be to the affordable end of the line remains to be seen.
As always, approach this beta with healthy caution – and if you can't take the risk, the final software will be along shortly.
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