Nothing Phone 2 Receives Nothing OS 2.0.2a Update With Camera Improvements: How to Download

Nothing Phone 2 is receiving a software update that comes on the heels of the recently released Nothing OS 2.0.2 firmware, which rolled out to the company's second-generation smartphone. This minor software update, according to the UK-based startup led by OnePlus Co-Founder Carl Pei, comes with key camera improvements. Nothing Phone 2 owners who update to the latest version should experience better low light performance, while the HDR mode has also been optimised. The smartphone maker is yet to roll out Nothing OS 2 to its first smartphone.

In a post shared on Tuesday, the company details the camera enhancements coming to the Nothing Phone 2 with the latest Nothing OS 2.0.2a update. After updating to the new firmware, face portraits captured by the Nothing Phone 2 will have better clarity, while photos captured in low light environments will have improved highlight levels, according to Nothing.

The new Nothing OS 2.0.2a update also adds several HDR-related enhancements, starting with a new HDR indicator on the camera app. When shooting in HDR mode, Nothing Phone 2 owners should see fewer dull tones, while highlight exposure should also be optimised. The company has also fixed an issue that caused a halo effect when shooting in portrait mode with HDR enabled.

Nothing Phone 2 owners should automatically see the latest update show up in their notification try, but users can also manually check whether the update is available by visiting Settings > System > System Update.

Earlier this month, the Nothing OS 2.0.2 update included several software improvements including improved image clarity when shooting in the "50-megapixel mode", better bokeh and contrast for photos captured in portrait mode, and improved stability and contrast for videos recorded using the rear camera. However, after the update rolled out, some users on social media complained about the smartphone's camera performance. 

Other software improvements that were part of the previous Nothing OS 2.0.2 update include a feature that shuts down apps on the handset when the operating temperature of the Nothing Phone 2 reaches its limit. The update also brought the July security patches from Google and added visual improvements for Nothing products on the volume controls, while the out-of-battery indicator displayed when the phone is turned off was also improved.

Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone 1 that was launched by the company last year, is yet to receive the update to Nothing OS 2. Pei previously stated that the company's first handset — which is scheduled to receive three years of OS updates and a fourth year of security updates — would get the Nothing OS 2 update a month after its successor was unveiled. The phone has already received one major update to Android 13 and Nothing OS 2 is expected to bring visual improvements and new features to the one-year-old smartphone from Nothing when it is eventually rolled out.