Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta Review

🆕 New Updates highlights of the Noting OS 4.0 Open Beta for the Nothing Phone (3a):

The Nothing Phone (3a) has been making waves since its March 2025 launch, quickly becoming a favorite in the mid-range smartphone market. With its premium glass design, impressive triple-camera setup, and clean software experience starting at ₹23,999, it’s been our go-to recommendation for months. Now, this solid hardware gets to showcase what’s coming next in Android.

This week, Nothing dropped its OS 4.0 Open Beta, making it one of the first companies to offer Android 16 in beta form. We’ve installed the Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta onto our review unit to see what Google and Nothing have cooked up together.

The Nothing Phone (3a): Still Great Hardware for Testing

The Phone (3a) makes an excellent testing ground for new software. That gorgeous 6.77-inch, 120Hz AMOLED screen still looks amazing, and the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 handles everyday tasks without breaking a sweat. The 5,000 mAh battery paired with 50W charging keeps you going all day.

The design feels premium with its glass back and smooth matte frame. The camera trio – featuring dual 50MP sensors and an 8MP ultrawide – remains one of the best setups you can get for under ₹25,000. It’s the perfect device to show off new software features.

Android 16: What’s Actually New

Material 3 Gets More Expressive

Android 16 brings some serious visual updates. The new “Material 3 Expressive” design makes everything feel more alive. You’ll notice bouncier animations, more blur effects, and bolder colors throughout the system. Even though Nothing OS keeps its signature black-and-white dot-matrix style, these underlying Android 16 improvements make everything feel snappier and more responsive.

Smart Notification Management

Here’s where Android 16 really shines. The new “Notification Cooldown” feature automatically turns down the volume on repeated notifications from the same app. No more endless buzzing from that active group chat. There’s also “Force Group Notifications” that bundles all alerts from one app together – perfect for Nothing’s distraction-free approach.

Advanced Protection Mode

The new “Advanced Protection Mode” is a game-changer. One simple toggle activates several powerful security features including Theft Detection Lock (which locks your phone if it detects suspicious movement), Offline Device Lock, and better spam protection. It’s security made simple.

Other nice touches include a better photo picker that works with cloud storage, fresh Unicode 16.0 emojis, and support for vertical text throughout the system.

Nothing OS 4.0: The Good and The Controversial

New Camera Features

The Camera app gets a “Stretch” filter created with a professional photographer. Nothing says it creates a “cinematic look” with deeper shadows and brighter highlights. From our testing, it’s a moody, high-contrast look that works well for dramatic shots.

Lock Glimpse: The Feature Everyone’s Talking About

“Lock Glimpse” replaces your static wallpaper with dynamic, curated images and “timely updates” – similar to Google’s At a Glance widget. This feature immediately sparked controversy in Nothing’s community, with users worried about ads creeping into their lock screens.

Nothing’s co-founder Akis Evangelidis quickly clarified that Lock Glimpse stays off by default and is completely optional. While it seems harmless now, it shows Nothing might be changing direction from their ultra-clean approach.

Pre-installed Apps: A Concerning Shift

The bigger controversy comes from Nothing’s announcement that non-flagship devices like the Phone (3a) will now include “carefully selected third-party partner apps and services” pre-installed. This is a major shift from Nothing’s “clean OS” promise.

Nothing claims these apps (like Instagram) are ones “most people install anyway” and could offer “better experiences.” But for a brand built on transparency and bloat-free software, this feels like the first crack in their philosophy.

Beta Performance: Proceed with Caution

This Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta is genuinely beta software. While we haven’t hit any major crashes or bootloops (unlike some early Pixel Android 16 builds), it’s not perfectly smooth.

We’ve seen random app crashes, occasional interface stutters, and noticeable battery drain. The official release notes warn about various stability issues – they’re not kidding around. Don’t install this on your main phone. This is strictly for developers and tech enthusiasts with backup devices.

Should You Try the Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta?

The Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta Review reveals a fascinating but flawed preview of what’s coming. The core Android 16 improvements – especially notification management and enhanced security – feel right at home on Nothing hardware.

But this beta also shows Nothing at a crossroads. Features like Lock Glimpse and the new pre-installed app policy represent a significant departure from the “transparent OS” approach that won over so many fans.

For Developers and Enthusiasts

If you’re a developer or tech enthusiast with a spare Phone (3a), absolutely give it a try. It’s an interesting look at Android’s future and Nothing’s evolving software strategy.

For Regular Users

Wait for the stable release. Nothing OS 4.0 should arrive in a few months with bugs fixed and features polished. By then, we’ll also know more about whether Nothing plans to stick with clean software or head toward a more commercial approach.

Final Thoughts on Nothing Phone (3a) Android 16 Beta

This early look at Android 16 running on the Nothing Phone (3a) shows real promise. The notification improvements and security enhancements are genuinely useful, and the visual updates make the whole experience feel more modern.

The real question isn’t about Android 16 – that looks great. It’s about whether Nothing will maintain the clean, transparent software experience that made them special in the first place. Only time will tell if they can balance user experience with business pressures.

For now, the Nothing Phone (3a) remains an excellent mid-range choice, and this Android 16 beta gives us an exciting preview of what’s possible when great hardware meets cutting-edge software.

Original Launch of Nothing 3a Smart phone

Nothing Phone (3a): Feature Highlights & Launch Date