Phone brand Nothing has quickly won over many Android phone buyers with its unique transparent aesthetic and affordable mid-range and budget offerings. Although the company sells everything from phones to audio equipment to smartwatches under two brands – Nothing and CMF – smartphones remain its most recognizable product. While there’s a lot to like about Nothing-branded smartphones, anyone considering purchasing one will likely wonder about the company’s software update policy.
Unfortunately, Nothing doesn’t appear to have a standardized software update policy for its smartphones, which isn’t surprising for a fledgling brand. However, this means you need to look at what the brand promises for the phone you intend to buy or already own. For example, the company officially ended software support for its very first phone, the Nothing Phone (1), with the July 2026 update. The phone launched with Android 12 and received the Android 15 update in 2025, essentially getting three major Android OS updates. While that’s not a great support period compared to major Android phone brands like Google and Samsung, which promise seven years of software updates, it’s better than Motorola, which often only provides two major Android OS updates for its budget phones.
Software updates promised for different Nothing phones
Stas Malyarevsky/Shutterstock
As mentioned, Nothing has somewhat different software update policies for each of its phones. For example, the Nothing Phone (3), which is currently the highest-end model in the company’s US portfolio, will receive seven years of software support. However, the company will only provide five major Android OS updates, while security patches will be released for two more years. This is certainly a significant upgrade over the Nothing Phone (1) and Phone (2), the latter of which is expected to benefit from three major Android OS updates and four years of security patches.
Among the more affordable A-series models, the Nothing Phone (2a) has the same software support period as the Phone (2), meaning you’ll get three Android OS updates and four years of security patches. However, the company increased the length of time that Phone (3a), Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro will receive security patches to six years, while keeping the number of Android OS updates at three. The Nothing Phone (4b) – the latest addition to the company’s portfolio, and the Phone (3a) Lite also enjoy the same support period as the Phone (3a) and (4a).
As for CMF-branded phones, the CMF Phone (1) is only expected to receive two major Android OS updates and three years of security patches, while the CMF Phone (2) Pro gets three Android OS upgrades and six years of security patches. Essentially, if you want a Nothing Phone with the longest software support period, the Phone (3) is your best choice.
