Nothing Phone 1 Gets Android 13-Powered OS 1.5 Update - Here's What It Includes

In July 2022, London-based consumer electronics upstart Nothing launched a new smartphone called the Nothing Phone (1). Backed by former OnePlus CEO Carl Pei, Nothing's first smartphone stood out because of its unconventional design elements and its focus on high-quality materials. 

The most talked about facet of the phone is the Glyph Interface — an array of illuminating LEDs that adorn the phone's transparent rear panel. Depending on which side of the divide you are, the Glyph interface could either be a mere gimmick, or praised as a functional design element. 

Aside from this unusual feature, the Nothing Phone (1) generally received favorable reviews from users and tech reviewers alike. Most appreciated the device's snappy hardware, the high-quality 120Hz display, and the largely bug-free software experience.

At its launch, the Nothing Phone (1) ran the pilot edition of the company's custom Android skin called Nothing OS. The first version of Nothing OS was based on Android 12, which was announced with a promise of three years of major Android updates. 

Seven months into its launch, Nothing is keeping its word and has started rolling out a new version of Nothing OS — labeled Nothing OS 1.5.2 update, and based on Android 13 — for Phone (1) users across the globe. This rollout comes a little over a month after the company rolled out a Beta version of Android 13-based Nothing OS to testers around the globe.

As outlined earlier, the most notable change with the Nothing OS 1.5.2 update is the graduation to Android 13. This is by far the most significant update the Phone (1) has received since its release seven months ago. The company also claims that Nothing OS 1.5.2 will also offer the "smoothest, most secure user experience" so far on the Phone (1).

The latest version of Nothing OS includes a new Glyph sound pack that adds new Glyph ringtones and notification sounds — translating into new lighting effects. Nothing has also changed the look of the Media Control tool, which now puts album artwork on full display while offering a much wider set of music controls. 

The volume control experience has also been improved. Other visual changes include a redesigned weather app, new "Material You" elements, and better lock screen shortcut customizations. Animations see an improvement across the board with smoother animations and transitions.

In addition to these, there are several changes under the hood. To begin with, Nothing has also significantly refined the camera app interface and claims a 50% increase in app loading speed. The update also focuses on improving system performance, and marks the debut of a new self-repair feature that clears unused cache and system dumps silently in the background. 

Other notable inclusions include a new Quick Settings panel that lets users quickly switch data usage between two SIMs and a new Personal Safety App. Nothing has a detailed changelog with all the new additions on the company's blog.