Nothing launched its first smartphone, Nothing Phone 1, last year with a new software experience called Nothing OS. Based on Android, it was pretty bare-bones in terms of software features. It’s gotten better with future updates, but now it’s ready to take it to the next level. Nothing OS 2.0 is coming soon, and Mladen M. Hoyss has shared a few sneak peeks.
In an exclusive interview with XDA Developers, Hoyss spilled the beans about Nothing OS 2.0. They now have about 100 members, up from five and a few third-party contractors when they shipped Nothing OS 1.0. Because of this, the Nothing OS 1.5 update based on Android 13 had more features and better improvements.
With Nothing OS 2.0, the company wants to “start almost from scratch”. “Functional aesthetics” is what Hoyss wants to focus on. Instead of throwing data at you, they visualize it and make it easy to digest.
The development of Nothing OS 2.0 is also all about personalization. The home screens on phones today are basically logos scrolled through, according to Hoyss. Basically, he wants home screens to be more than app icons. This is where personalization comes in.
Whenever you look at the home screen, you should see things that are personal to you, and information about your interests should be available “at a glance”. Instead of scrolling or digging deep, you should be able to find what you’re looking for easily. Google has said similar things in the past when explaining the Pixel software experience. You can even see relevant and contextual information right on your home screen with the At a Glance widget.
This is why Hoyss clarified that Nothing is a spin on things and won’t be compared to anything that already exists. Nothing OS 2.0 will bring options that smartphones already have to the forefront. No visuals or specifics were shared, but he said, “Imagine it as a more functional and easy-to-use environment.”
Nothing OS 2.0 will come out in July with Nothing Phone 2. The exact implementation of everything Hoyss has talked about so far will have to wait until then.
