Nothing Starts OS 5.0 Beta August 26, Bringing Android 17 to Phone 3 in October
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · Aug 25
Nothing Starts OS 5.0 Beta August 26, Bringing Android 17 to Phone 3 in October
3 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · Aug 25
Summary
August 26 marks the start of Nothing OS 5.0 open beta on Phone 3, ahead of a mid-October stable rollout for that device and updates for other supported models through mid-January 2027.
Android 17-based OS 5.0 adds redesigned UI elements—new system font, blur effects, lockscreen clocks, homescreen batch editing and optional split Quick Settings and notifications—without being a full visual overhaul.
AI and app changes include live voice-to-text preview in Essential Voice, Smart Collections in Essential Space, a dedicated Glyph controls app, upgraded Bluetooth toggles and support for Google’s Noto 3D emoji.
The beta schedule expands from Phone 4a Pro in early September to Phone 2a models in mid-October, while the newest Phone 4b is unusually near the back of the line with beta in mid-December and stable software in mid-January 2027.
Nothing previously said older devices including Phone 1, Phone 2 and CMF Phone 1 will not receive OS 5.0, limiting the Android 17 upgrade to newer supported phones.