Nothing's new phones get a major free update already – here's what it does

Nothing has announced that it's pushing an update for its latest phones, including the Nothing Phone (4a) and the Phone (4a) Pro that were announced in recent weeks. The new update expands the functionality of Essential Space.

Essential Space is Nothing's digital scrapbook, a place to gather your thoughts and find information you've saved, like notes and screenshots. It integrates AI to help you extract the stuff that's important.

It's accessed via the Essential Key on supported devices like the Phone (3) series and new Phone (4a) and (4a) Pro. The expansion of the service is being described as "a major update".

That includes a new layout for the app, with a For You page and Library page. The aim is to make it easier to navigate and better organised. Nothing says that this will help bring important information to the surface so it's easier to find.

Then there's the addition of events, extracting information from your captures so you can see what's happening and what you need to know about. This should put all the information in one place, so you can easily see where the event is, get the timings and so on.

Search is also being added, so you can actually find all that information you're stuffing into Essential Space. That should increase the usability and encourage more to get involved with Nothing's second brain.

This update isn't just for Nothing's most recent phones, it basically applies to 2025 and 2026 models – some of which haven't yet made it into the hands of the public, so on day one, there will be a tasty update for those opting for a new Nothing phone.

The Nothing Phone (4a) is currently available to buy, while the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is on pre-order. In the latest devices, Nothing took a bit of a different direction with the (4a) Pro equipping it with a metal unibody design that steps away from the transparency of previous devices.

We currently have both devices in review and will bring you the full breakdown on how these disruptor phones acquit themselves alongside rivals from bigger brands. If you're struggling to choose which is the best model for you, then be sure to check out our full comparison to help you choose.