What you need to know
- The stable Android 15 update for the CMF Phone 1 is now available, weighing in at 1.44GB.
- The update brings fresh widgets, customizable lock screens, a revamped app drawer, improved quick settings, and Google’s Circle to Search for the CMF Phone 1.
- The Nothing Phone (1) is also getting the update, but it’s missing the Circle to Search feature, unlike newer models.
Nothing has been recently quick in rolling out Android 15 across its lineup of budget-friendly phones, including the Nothing Phone 2 and Phone (2a) Plus. Now, it's taking it a step further with the release of Nothing OS 3.0 for the CMF Phone 1 and the Nothing Phone (1).
About a month ago, the company kicked off beta testing for the Android 15 update on the CMF Phone 1, and now the stable version is available for everyone. It’s about 1.44GB, and you can grab it by heading to your phone's Settings menu and then navigating to "Download and install" under "System update."
However, the update is rolling out in stages, so it reaches users gradually.
As mentioned in Nothing's community post, the CMF Phone 1 update brings a bunch of new features, like fresh widgets, customizable lock screen options, a revamped app drawer, and an improved quick settings menu.
Furthermore, it adds Google’s Circle to Search and all the other goodies you’d expect from Nothing OS 3.
Early feedback on the Nothing Phone (1) update shows it’s running smoothly, but there’s one downside: the Circle to Search feature, which is available on newer models, is missing here, as pointed out by 9to5Google.
The latest update for the Phone (1) likely marks its last major software update. Even so, Nothing is expected to make good on its promise of at least one more year of security patches to keep the device protected from new threats.
On the other hand, since the CMF Phone 1 launched with Android 14, it’s fair to expect at least one more major OS update down the line.
While Nothing is showing it’s serious about timely updates, even for its budget-friendly phones, Samsung's Galaxy S24 series is still waiting on the One UI 7 update.
To be fair, Samsung has built a solid reputation for pushing out updates on time, so this delay with One UI 7 could just be them taking extra care to iron out any bugs before the stable release hits its devices.
CMF has made a strong budget contender with the Phone 1. It offers great performance, a solid camera, vibrant AMOLED display, and a three-year update promise. Its unique design stands out, though the lack of NFC may be a downside for some.
