What you need to know
- The second Android 15 beta for Nothing Phone 2a brings bug fixes, performance tweaks, and introduces the "Shared Widgets" feature in Nothing OS 3.0.
- "Shared Widgets" allows syncing widgets across devices, but it's still in the works.
- For now, you can pair widgets with friends and family (who also have a Nothing phone) and share reactions and stickers.
A fresh Android 15 beta is rolling out to the Nothing Phone 2a, bringing bug fixes, performance tweaks, and the new "Shared Widgets" feature in Nothing OS 3.0.
While Nothing OS 3.0 is getting closer to its full release, there’s still one big feature missing. When Nothing first teased its Android 15 plans, it hinted at "Shared Widgets," a new way to sync homescreen widgets across multiple devices.
You’ll be able to "pair" widgets with your friends and family, as long as they’ve got a Nothing phone too. One widget even lets you share reactions and stickers.
Yet, this feature hasn’t shown up yet on the Phone 2a, until now. This feature is now live in the second Android 15 beta for Nothing's latest mid-range phone (via 9to5Google).
The Shared Widgets feature first landed on the Phone 2 with the start of Nothing’s Android 15 Open Beta earlier this month.
Nothing has been on point with its Android 15 rollout, following the release schedule it shared back in October. The company has already rolled out Nothing OS 3.0 to the Phone 2 and Phone 2a, just as promised.
At first, Shared Widgets will offer the basics, mostly letting you share reactions between connected devices. But Nothing has big plans to take this feature to the next level down the line.
This update also tweaks the new Quick Settings and Smart Drawer features, and brings fixes for some bugs in the camera app.
Photography lovers will also be happy with this update, which brings better brightness in Ultra HDR and standard HDR, an optimized portrait mode, and smoother camera mode switching.
As with any beta, there could be some unexpected quirks, but this update is a big step forward. If you've got a compatible Nothing phone, you can check out the new beta on Nothing's website.
