Nothing has opened applications for its first Android 16 closed beta on the Phone (3), giving early adopters a chance to test the company’s upcoming Nothing OS 4.0. The program begins with a small pool of participants and will run from early August into September, ahead of a wider open beta later in the year.
According to the company, the first beta build will focus on integrating Android 16’s native capabilities while introducing a redesigned system interface. This new design language is intended to make Nothing OS more cohesive and visually consistent in future releases. While the company has yet to detail specific new features, it’s clear the emphasis at this stage is on stability and foundational updates rather than experimental additions.
Phone (3) owners who want to take part can register through an online form. Selected users will be contacted in the first week of August and given access to the early software. The beta period is expected to run through “early September,” at which point the open beta will begin, allowing a wider group to try Android 16 on the device.
Closed betas often come with limitations, including potential bugs and incomplete features, so the program is aimed at users comfortable with pre-release software. Nothing has not confirmed how many participants will be accepted or whether feedback from the closed beta will influence the final public version.
The release marks the first time Nothing’s latest flagship will run Android 16 in the wild, giving testers an early look at Google’s latest OS alongside the company’s own custom interface changes. For most Phone (3) owners, however, the full experience is still at least several weeks away.
