Nothing Phone (3a) Series Promises 6 Years of Updates

The Nothing Phone (3a) series is now official, and Nothing has committed to 6 years of software support—its longest update promise yet. However, unlike some competitors, this includes only 3 years of Android OS upgrades, with the remaining 3 years dedicated to security updates.

How It Compares to Other Brands

The past few years have seen Android manufacturers extend software support significantly.

Google offers 7 years of updates for its Pixel 8 lineup.
Samsung has also extended 7 years of OS and security updates for its Galaxy S25 series.
Honor recently joined the trend, announcing 7 years of updates for its flagship devices.

However, Nothing’s approach differs by separating security updates from OS upgrades. This is similar to what Google previously did with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7, offering 3 years of OS updates and 5 years of security patches—until Google later extended both to 5 years. In contrast, Samsung provides 6 years of both OS and security updates for its mid-range Galaxy A-series phones.

Nothing Phone (3a) Series: What to Expect

📌 Price & Features:

Starts at $379—positioning it as a budget-friendly alternative rather than a high-end flagship.
Offers Nothing’s signature clean software experience, minimalist design, and Glyph interface.
Introduces a new "Essential Key" for quickly accessing notes and ideas.

📌 Software Support:

3 years of Android OS upgrades (launching with Android 15, upgradable to Android 18).
6 years of security updates, ensuring long-term protection.

Final Thoughts

While 6 years of support is a welcome addition, limiting OS upgrades to just 3 years makes it feel less competitive compared to Google and Samsung’s recent policies. Given the Nothing Phone (3a) is a budget device, this balance between features and update longevity makes some sense. However, it would be great to see Nothing expand its OS upgrade cycle in the future.

The Nothing Phone (3a) series is set to begin shipping later this month.