Nothing Phone (1) gets its first OTA update adding features, fixing bugs

The first over-the-air (OTA) update for the Nothing Phone (1) has arrived. Nothing OS 1.1.0 is here and the 120MB update comes with some bug fixes along with new features. One of the latter is an NFT widget that allows you to display your non-fungible tokens right on your homescreen. Ownership of NFTs is recorded in the blockchain allowing individuals to claim that they are the owners of certain pieces of art, historical tweets, etc.

NFTs can be bought or sold giving consumers another way to make or lose money via speculation. And the placeholder image on the Nothing Phone (1) happens to be Nothing CEO Carl Pei's NFT that he purchased for a cool 89.99 Ethereum (valued at the time at $310,997 but now worth $138,567.50). The NFT Gallery section will now appear on the widgets menu on the handset.

But we digress. With the update, Nothing Phone (1) users can remove the Google Search bar from their homescreen, and the Glyph fill lights are now available when the phone is in portrait orientation. Photos snapped in low-light conditions are now clearer and contain less noise and the main and ultra-wide sensors will now deliver improved color consistency.

If you own a Tesla, the update adds the ability to access certain controls from your device. For example, you can use your Nothing Phone (1) ti turn on your Tesla's AC before entering the car, turn on the lights inside the vehicle, and even flash the headlights to help you find where you parked the car.

Bugs exterminated include one that made the under-display fingerprint sensor disappear on the lockscreen, and the speed and performance of Face Unlock have both been improved. The update also comes with the July Android security patch.

The brainchild of former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, Nothing has released the Nothing ear (1), a pair of true wireless ear buds, and the Nothing Phone (1). The handset sports a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400, and a 60Hz-120Hz adoptive refresh rate. Under the hood is the Snapdragon 778+ chipset and configuration options include 8GB/12GB of memory with 128GB/256GB storage.

The device has stereo speakers and a pair of 50MP camera sensors in the rear (the primary with an f/1.8 aperture, and an ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture). In front is a 16MP selfie snapper. The handset features a transparent back and lights in the rear that alert the user to an incoming notification.

The 4500mAh battery is supposed to power the handset through a whole day and the optional 45W charger will take the battery from 0% to 65% in 30 minutes. Not available in the U.S., the Nothing Phone (1) is priced at €469/£399 (roughly $478). The high-end variant with 12GB of memory and 256 GB of storage is tagged at €549/£499 ($560).