Nothing OS 2.5 beta 2 (based on Android 14) is here and has some really cool features

The two Nothing smartphones released so far are scheduled to get Android 14 at some point in 2024. To prepare for that launch, Nothing is running a beta software program. Previously, we had seen one beta for the Android 14-based Nothing OS, but today we have the second.

Nothing OS 2.5 beta 2 is available now for the Nothing Phone 2. This is a sneak peek at what Nothing phones will see in 2024, and it contains a slew of updates and new features.

We have some highlighted new additions and the full changelog below, but if you have a Phone 2 and want to give this a shot, visit Nothing’s community pages to download the beta app. This will help you get it installed on your phone. Be aware, of course, that beta software is inherently not stable, and you could face bugs and other problems by using it.

One of the more exciting new additions to this software is Google Calendar integration within The Glyph, the lights on the back of the phone. If you turn it on, the phone’s lights will count down with a five-minute timer leading up to your next calendar event.

Another cool new trick is the ability to customize double-presses on the power button. Traditionally, this opens the camera app on a lot of Android smartphones. With Nothing OS 2.5 beta 2, though, you can change this to control many other things. Check out the screenshot above from our own Nothing Phone 2 to see some choices.

Other updates include a more refined three-finger swipe gesture for capturing screenshots, a quick delete button for accidentally captured screenshots, and a new Glyph animation when you use an NFC action.

Here’s the official changelog:

Glyph:

• Glyph Progress integration for Google Calendar. Keep track of your upcoming events with a 5-minute countdown via the Glyph Interface.
• Glyph Timer now supports time presets, allowing you to quickly set your desired duration.
• Glyph Timer can now be opened directly from the lock screen without unlocking.
• Added an option to open the Glyph Timer pop-up window by tapping instead of holding. This also works with the Quick Settings widget.
• Added a new Glyph animation when NFC is used.

Other improvements:

• Predictive Back is now supported on all Nothing apps.
• Added more options for the double-press power button gesture.
• Improved the reliability of the three-finger swipe gesture.
• Updated several status bar icons.
• Many other minor UI improvements.
• General bug fixes.