Nothing's Community Review Program is back, and I think that means a new product launch is near

The Nothing Community Review Program is open again, giving fans until October 5 to apply for early access to an upcoming Nothing product. The company hasn't said what that product is, but the program has a habit of showing up shortly before a launch, which is good news if you own a Nothing Phone (3) or Phone (4a) Pro and are curious about what's next.

Nothing's Community Review Program is back, but the product is a mystery

Nothing announced the new round in a post on its Nothing Community forum on September 30. Selected fans get the company's latest products and software before anyone else, along with a direct line to the Nothing team, and applications close on October 5 at 10:00 BST (5:00 AM ET).

Like the September round, this one isn't open to fans in India. This isn't a new idea for Nothing either, since we first covered the program back when it was called the Community Insider Program, and Nothing later turned it into an ongoing program that brings in different testers for different products.

Nothing's 2026 rounds tend to come right before a launch

Here's how 2026 has played out so far:

• February: the round was openly for the Phone (4a) series, applications closed on February 22, and the phones launched on March 5.
• June: the program post carried a Jumpluff teaser, part of the Pokémon campaign that ended with the Phone (4b) on July 7.
• Late August: the round that closed on September 10 came with a Lanturn teaser, which fans tied to Nothing's long-rumored first smartwatch.

That watch never showed up, even though tipster Yogesh Brar claimed in July it would launch in September for under $300.



Meanwhile, the replies under Nothing's post were mostly excited, with one fan cheering for "another one" and others saying they had already signed up. However, I spotted the same complaint coming up more than once, as fans in India pointed out that they were left out again.

It's only a handful of replies, so I wouldn't read it as a big backlash, though. It should be noted that Nothing has run separate India rounds before, including one for the Phone (3) and Headphone (1), so those fans may simply be waiting on their own version of this call.

Who can apply for the Nothing Community Review Program

If you live anywhere outside India and enjoy testing gadgets, this is a fairly low-risk way to get your hands on unreleased Nothing hardware. You don't need to be a professional reviewer, though Nothing does ask for a passion for tech or some review experience, and signing up doesn't guarantee a spot.

Keep in mind that you won't be keeping the device, and you'll have to stay quiet until Nothing lifts the embargo. With applications closing on Sunday, there isn't much time to think it over either.

My guess on what Nothing has in store

I'm assuming the smartwatch is the likeliest candidate, given how close the last round came to its rumored launch window and the fact that it still hasn't arrived. I'd personally love to see the watch finally show up, since a proper Nothing design would stand out next to the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch.

More on Nothing's lineup:

• How Nothing ran its Phone (4a) review program
• Everything we know about the Nothing Phone (3)
• Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

• Follow me on X and Threads