Nothing Phone (1) software support ends after 4 years

Nothing has ended software support for the Phone (1), its debut smartphone, with a final update delivering Android 15 and the July 2026 security patch. That closes out three major Android updates and four years of security patches — exactly what the company promised when the phone launched on Android 12 in 2022. The device that introduced the Glyph Interface and Nothing OS is now, in update terms, done.

According to Nothing’s community announcement, the last release also bundles general bug fixes and system stability improvements. There will be no more updates after this — no more Android versions, and no more security patches. If you’re still carrying a Phone (1), this is the end of the line for official software.

What the final Phone (1) update includes

The final update brings Android 15 and the July 2026 security patch, plus general bug fixes and stability tweaks. Nothing frames it as the completion of a promise made at launch: three major Android updates (Android 12 through 15) and four years of security support. Both boxes are now ticked.

Nothing does warn that the phone may run warmer and drain faster during installation, with performance returning to normal once it’s done — standard behaviour for a large update, not a fault.

How many Android updates did the Phone (1) get

Three major Android updates, from Android 12 at launch to Android 15 at the finish. That was the exact commitment Nothing made in July 2022, alongside four years of security patches. For a mid-range phone from a first-time hardware maker, hitting both targets on schedule is a decent outcome — plenty of pricier phones have quietly missed their own promises.

Here’s how the software timeline played out:

Milestone	Detail
Launch Android version	Android 12
Launch date (approx.)	July 2022
Major Android updates received	3 (Android 12 → Android 15)
Final Android version	Android 15
Final security patch	July 2026
Years of security updates	4
Software lifecycle end	July 2026

Why the Phone (1) mattered

The Phone (1) is the device that established everything Nothing still sells on: the Glyph Interface, the dot-matrix design language, and the first version of Nothing OS. The company put it plainly in its post:

Phone (1) is where Nothing OS began. It introduced our first ideas around a cleaner, more intentional smartphone experience, from the Glyph Interface and dot matrix design language to a more focused take on Android.

Those ideas have carried through every phone since, right up to the current Phone (4a) and (4a) Pro. The transparent back and the light show on the rear were gimmicks that turned out to have staying power — a rare thing in a market where most “signature features” vanish within a generation.

Is the Phone (1) still usable in 2026

Yes — Nothing itself says so, and the community backs it up. The company’s post states the device “remains usable and an important part of the Nothing story,” and owners in the announcement thread describe it still handling daily tasks, light editing and photography four years on. The catch is straightforward: no more security patches means no protection against new vulnerabilities, so this is a device you keep using at your own comfort level.

Community members reported keeping their Phone (1) going by swapping in a fresh battery once the original wore out. Others have moved to newer Nothing hardware — the thread mentions upgrades to the Phone (3) and the Phone (4a) Pro — while holding onto the original as a keepsake. If you’re weighing an upgrade, our Phone (4a) review and the Phone (3a) Lite review cover where the current lineup sits.

What Nothing is doing to mark it

Rohit Pakalapati from Nothing’s Software Marketing team is switching back to the Phone (1) for a month and plans to share what living with the device in 2026 is like. It’s a small community gesture, and there’s no follow-up content published yet.

Owners in the thread floated the idea of paid long-term support. One asked directly: “I’m wondering if there’s a business case for LTS via a subscription model. I know I would pay to keep my Phone(1) going for an extra few years. It’s still a capable device.” Nothing has not responded to that suggestion, and there’s no official word on any extended or paid support option.

For UAE owners, the source doesn’t cover local pricing or availability — the community engagement in the thread came largely from India and Iran. What’s certain is the software status: the July 2026 patch is the last one, full stop, wherever you bought the phone.