The Nothing Phone 3 is expected to be the first handset from the company to receive the Android 16-based update.
Nothing Phone 3 runs on Nothing OS 3.5 out-of-the-box
The Nothing Phone 3 was launched in India on Tuesday and the phone ships with Android 15-based Nothing OS 3.5 out-of-the-box. However, the UK-based startup teased the arrival of its Android 16 update during the launch event. The next iteration of the Android operating system was released by Google last month, but only Pixel devices have receiving the stable build. However, this recent teaser indicates that the Android 16 update could soon be on the cards for Nothing smartphones too.
Wrapping up the details about the Nothing Phone 3 in the launch video posted on the official Nothing YouTube channel, CEO Carl Pei said that the handset comes with Nothing OS 3.5. The company head further teased that it will begin shipping Nothing OS 4.0 based on Android 16 to devices “later this autumn”.
Thus, we can expect it to arrive between the period of September to November.
While details remain under wraps, the Nothing Phone 3 is expected to be the first handset from the company to receive the Android 16 update, considering it is the “first true flagship smartphone”.
Google released Android 16's stable build following the I/O 2025 event last month. However, only Pixel handsets have started receiving the update, with other OEMs still testing the beta firmware. Carl Pei's recent teaser indicates Nothing could soon join Google.
Notably, the Nothing OS 3.0 update, based on Android 15, was unveiled in September. It was announced in the same month as the global release of the OS. The update's open beta commenced a month later, enabling users to experience the update and experiment with its new features before its public release in December.
The rollout took only a few weeks to reach all phones in Nothing's portfolio. We can expect similar launch timelines for the Android 16-based Nothing OS 4.0 as well, once it launches in the autumn.
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