Leave it to Nothing to aggravate fans—its own and very vocal tech enthusiasts—yet again. As is tradition now, the tech startup, known for its transparent wireless earbuds and light-up smartphones, has announced a “Phone 3a Lite” that will be announced on Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT.
Phone (3a) Lite. 29.10. 13.00 GMT.
Light up the everyday. pic.twitter.com/VVNclQ6mEl
— Nothing (@nothing) October 27, 2025
Nothing posted a three-second teaser to its X account showing off the lower portion of the Phone 3a Lite. Given the name, we’d bet lunch that the phone is a budget-focused device, derivative of the Phone 3a and 3a Pro that launched last year. No tech specs have been shared so far, but we can see there’s some kind of blinking LED in the lower right, which could be a basic “Glyph.” The Phone 3a launched at around $380, and the Phone 3a Pro at around $460. A “Lite” version could retail at less than the Phone 3a.
But it’s not the phone that’s got fans angry with their pitchforks out, banging on Nothing cofounder and CEO Carl Pei’s door. The company is seemingly pulling a switcheroo on its users by allowing preinstalled ads and apps, or what we generally refer to as “bloatware,” on its phones. In the latest Nothing OS 4.0 beta, users have discovered a new “Lock Glimpse” tool that cycles through wallpapers and has links to what are ostensibly ad-like articles.
Oh Nothing, What were you thinking?
So, You can now install NOS4 on your 3a & 3a Pro BUT –
🟥 Lock Glimpse (AKA – ADS)
Why just why, there was no need to add these lockscreen ads to your “Clean UI focused software” & you are even highlighting it? Bro?💔 pic.twitter.com/4zQOyddzPP
— Anshu (@AnshuTechblog) October 24, 2025
Nothing is not hiding its intentions. Far from it, Akis Evangelis, also a cofounder who was recently promoted to president of the India region, shared the changes (or betrayal as one Reddit user described it) openly in a forum note on Oct. 24.
Moving forward, on select non-flagship devices, we’ll start including a carefully considered selection of third-party partner apps and services that don’t disrupt the Nothing OS experience you love. These are apps most people install on day one, like Instagram. They’re not random – we’re working with popular platforms many of you already use daily, and in some cases, these integrations can even enhance performance or provide tighter experiences, such as improved camera or sharing features.
Evangelis says the need to preinstall apps onto its “entry- and mid-segment products” is a necessity for “sustainable revenue models to avoid passing costs and ensuring optimal pricings for our products.” He also reminded users that other brands, including Samsung, do the same. That hasn’t gone down well with Nothing fans. A scan of r/Nothing Tech brings up tons of posts from Nothing customers denouncing the brand’s renege on a “clean” Android experience.
“This move completely contradicts their original promise of offering a clean software experience,” writes user techolum.
User starccm+ shared a similar sentiment. “We choose Nothing for the clean OS. My next phone won’t be a Nothing with the bloatware you’re planning to add. L move.”
One Nothing loyalist has even taken matters into their own hands, starting a Change.org petition urging Nothing to reverse its decision to include ads and preinstalled apps.
The only silver lining here may be if Nothing allows users to uninstall or disable preinstalled apps. That’s how many budget and mid-range operate. It’s an imperfect experience, but it does help keep prices lower than flagship levels as costs for the BOM (bill of materials) increase.
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