Nothing Phones to get Android 16 powered Nothing OS 4.0 later this year

What you need to know

• Nothing's CEO Carl Pei announced that Nothing OS 4.0 will launch by the end of Q3.
• The OS will be based on the latest Android 16, and is expected to roll out sometime between July and September.
• The newly launched Nothing Phone 3 is expected to be the first device to receive Nothing OS 4.0, with older models like the Nothing Phone 2 shortly after.

Nothing just launched its newest flagship device, Phone 3, this week, and during the event, Nothing's CEO Carl Pei confirmed that Nothing OS 4.0, which is based on Android 16, is slated to show up later this year.

While Pei didn't mention the exact timeline of when the OS will grace phones, he mentioned that the company’s Android 16 update will come sometime in “Q3," meaning Nothing Phone 3 users can expect it by the end of September, at the latest. Meanwhile, older devices like the Nothing Phone 2 can probably expect a rollout shortly after.

Google launched the stable Android 16 update just last month to Pixel devices, bringing with it highly anticipated UI changes like Material 3 expressive, more Gemini integration, and other handy features like custom keyboard shortcuts that are anticipated to show up later this year.

During the Android Show's I/O Edition, Pei said that users will be given the "secure" and upgraded Android experience within its upcoming next-generation Nothing phone. The video then dips into Nothing's AI efforts, stating that the company worked with its community to create software that's "not just bolted on, but built in."

The video showed off some of Nothing OS' widgets and icons, with Pei saying that the software is "less of a menu and more like a teammate" that works with you. He ended by stating that Nothing OS will work in tandem with Android, hinting at the possibility of more Gemini integration into the device.

As of now, Nothing Phone 3 runs on Nothing OS 3.5, which is based on Android 15. It also comes built with the company's AI-powered Essential Space alongside the new Essential Search and Flip To Record features, expanding Nothing's AI suite. The phone is set to receive five years of Android OS upgrades and seven years of security patches. But we'll have to wait and see what the new Nothing OS 4.0 brings with it.