Another update is rolling out to the Nothing Phone (1) which promises to bring even more improvements to its camera. The Nothing OS 1.1.4 update brings several enhancements in color and performance, to join those already pushed out to the phone since its launch back in July.

The latest update also introduces support for high-definition audio, and comes ahead of the Android 13 upgrade early next year. A beta version of that is expected to drop in the next few months.

Improvements to the Nothing Phone (1) Camera

The Nothing Phone's camera has been given a lot of attention since its launch. A previous update brought improved skin tones, night images, and HDR. The new update also focuses heavily on photography:

  • Color calibration has been improved in the ultra-wide camera to match the output from the main camera.
  • A new motion-detection algorithm should lead to sharper images when shooting moving subjects.
  • The camera should also be quicker and more responsive, especially when shooting in HDR with the ultra-wide camera.
  • Colors have been improved further in night mode.
  • The front-facing camera will produce sharper and brighter portraits.
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Image Credit: Nothing

That's not all. The screen now has an auto-adjust brightness feature to prevent overheating, along with power improvements for the always-on display. It offers support for LHDC for high-definition sound. And there's a small but much-requested feature: the ability to flip the buttons on the navigation bar.

The update also includes the September security patch. To check if it's already available on your phone, go to Setting > System Update.

Android 13 on the Nothing Phone

In addition to ongoing software updates, Nothing has confirmed that it will be launching Android 13 for the Phone (1) in "early 2023", following a public beta test that will begin before the end of the year. While this schedule still falls well behind some other manufacturers—Samsung will be updating a number of its phones this year—it's still better than originally feared after Nothing put out a vague and noncommittal statement about its update plans.

The Nothing Phone (1) Is Getting Better

The Nothing Phone (1) launched with a lot of hype and didn't live up to all of it. But a series of smart updates mean that the phone is getting better in key areas, helping to turn it into one of the most appealing mid-range Android devices.

Yet it's still a very crowded section, with lots of competition. Phones like the Pixel 6a and Honor 70 offer as many, if not more features, for a similar price.