Nothing Phone (3) gets September 2025 update with new Stretch preset and major fixes

At the end of July, Nothing announced the Android 16 Closed Beta update for the Nothing Phone (3) and is expected to release the Open Beta in September itself. While we wait for that rollout, Nothing has released a new update for Phone (3) users. It is currently rolling out with the version number Nothing OS V3.5-250829-1700. The update size is 1.05GB, which indicates that it’s a major release with several new features. It also includes the September 2025 security patch.

Here is what you will get in this update

Under the Glyph Interface, two new Glyph Toys have been added: Compass and Feed The Fly. These can be accessed via Settings > Glyph Interface > Glyph Toys > Manage Glyph Toys. In addition, Glyph Mirror has been enabled in the Camera app, allowing users to see their shot in real time when using any rear lens. This works for both photos and videos and can be toggled by swiping down in the viewfinder.

A new “Stretch” preset, developed in collaboration with photographer Jordan Hemingway, has been introduced. It focuses on rich shadows and extended highlights to produce distinctive results. Interestingly, the same Stretch preset was also rolled out recently to the Nothing Phone (2) in its update. Beyond this, responsiveness during continuous shooting has been improved, shutter lag has been reduced, and colour consistency across all rear cameras has been enhanced. Zoom clarity between 6x and 60x has been optimised, HDR has been fine-tuned for more natural portrait lighting, and third-party app integration has been improved with better colours and video quality, including on Messenger video calls.

As for general improvements and fixes, the update adjusts vibration intensity for Generative mode ringtones and resolves playback errors in the same mode. Issues with the Stopwatch toy unexpectedly shutting off, incorrect WhatsApp message notifications on the Glyph Matrix, image resizing in the Photo widget, album cover metadata in the Media Player widget, and Quick Settings tile order have all been fixed. Performance issues such as delayed touch response while playing Minecraft, occasional call noise problems, and Wi-Fi reliability have also been addressed. Finally, system stability has been improved, and the device has been updated with the September 2025 security patch.

Since the update is rolling out in phases, not all users will receive it at once; some may need to wait. Also, the device may heat up during the installation process, but it will return to normal temperature once the update is complete.