Nothing OS 3.1 update lets Phone 3a, 3a Pro users snap and save to Essential Spaces

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

What you need to know

Nothing is rolling out an update for the Phone 3a and 3a Pro that adds a major feature to Essential Key.
The Essential Key now works with the camera app, letting users directly save photos to their Essential Space with written or voice notes.
The patch notes also detail a series of device and camera improvements for both devices.
Nothing dropped a pre-launch OTA for the Phone 3a Pro, which also held many improvements for its AI suite and cameras.

Nothing is pushing an update for its recent budget phone duo that introduces a new Essential feature and cleans up a few messes.

Kicking off the March 25 update for the Nothing Phone 3a Series is Essential Key compatibility with the Camera app. In a community post, the company states this update for the new physical button concerns the Phone 3a and its 3a Pro sibling. The Nothing OS 3.1 update features a quick video of how this will work for users.

In short, opening the Nothing camera app and pressing the Essential Key will take a photo, but save it to the Essential Space area on your device. Users can then attach a written note to remind them of what the photo signifies.

Alternatively, long-pressing the key when in the camera app lets you add a voice memo.

The Nothing camera app receives support for the Essential Key on the Phone 3a and 3a Pro. — (Image credit: Nothing)

The 3a and the 3a Pro will also receive a series of camera improvements once more. The changelog states the update brings more "intuitive" camera zoom interactions. The update "enhances white balance" for the rear cameras, improves "clarity and tone" for portraits in backlit scenarios, and improves the responsiveness of the camera.

Additionally, Nothing states it's fixed a strange "reddish skin tone issue in front-facing camera selfies." The Phone 3a Pro gets one specific camera change, which improves the focusing accuracy when utilizing 2x focal length.

The remainder of the patch notes for the 3a and the 3a Pro is as follows:

Optimised Essential Space experience and performance
Improved AOD (Always-On Display) transition animations
Various bug fixes and stability improvements.

Comparing the transparent backs of the grey Nothing Phone (3a) Pro with the white Nothing Phone (3a) — (Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The update has started rolling out; however, Nothing urges patience with its users, stating the patch is "gradually" making its rounds. Users can manually check if they have the update by hopping into Settings > System > System Updates. What's more, the company detailed its upcoming plans for the Essential Space, including Smart Collections, Focused Search, and Flip to Record.

Technically, this is the second update for the 3a Pro, as the first was a pre-launch OTA that dropped right as the phones launched. There were a wealth of camera updates to improve its clarity in macro mode and performance for better photo quality. Moreover, Nothing's update helped its Essential Key and Space features, adding widgets and improving the button's interactions.

Aside from that, Nothing started emailing consumers in a few overseas areas about a shipment delay for pre-ordered Phone 3a Pros. The email mostly concerned those in Europe, as the company states devices pre-ordered will now "ship before April 15."

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