Nothing Phone (2a) gets a great free upgrade already that you need to download

Nothing pushes an early software update with some essential tweaks

Nothing Phone (2a) review
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)

Nothing has announced a fairly substantial software update that it's releasing for the Nothing Phone (2a) just a short while after the phone's launch.

The Nothing OS version 2.5.4 update follows hot on the tail of previous versions, so it's clear that the manufacturer is working pretty hard on its software right now. It should cement the handset as one of the best affordable phones out there.

The changes in the update fall into basically three categories – the camera, animations and bug fixes.

On the camera side, Nothing says that the phone's portrait mode will get better bokeh effects, and both colour accuracy and saturation will also be noticeably better. 

Ultra XDR photos will now apparently be able to get better brightness and have superior colours, too, while changes have also been made to ensure that changing between the main camera and the ultrawide doesn't result in obvious colour changes. 

That's a nice bundle of changes, and Nothing has accompanied it by saying that overall camera performance will get better, which is more vague but still good to hear.

More changes and new features

Some users noticed that opening apps on their Nothing Phone (2a) invoked a short stutter, something that headlines the animation section of the update, and shouldn't happen anymore. 

Nothing says a few other animation stutters have been fixed, too, along with improvements that should make a welcome difference when playing games. 

Finally, the bug fixes – as well as overall system stability being improved, a few specific issues have been squashed. Nothing says wallpapers should now appear as expected at all times, while the Quick Settings menu has been tweaked to ensure it shows both Wi-Fi and data information accurately. 

Lastly, a bug that made the screen go black during incoming phone calls will reportedly no longer be an issue either. 

All in all, that's a pretty solid update for a phone that only came out a couple of weeks back, and any improvement on a budget option's camera performance is always welcome. 

If you're a Nothing Phone (2a) user, you'll want to get this downloaded as soon as you can, then – just head to your Settings app, tap on System and then System Update to get things kicked off. 

Max Freeman-Mills

Max is a freelance writer with years of experience in tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor. He has tested all manner of tech too, from headphones and speakers to apps and software.