Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Nothing has revealed that a Phone 1 Android 13 beta program will launch.
- This program is only set to kick off by the end of the year.
Nothing confirmed to Android Authority this week that the Phone 1 was only getting Android 13 in the first half of 2023. This means Phone 1 owners are in for a long wait ahead of the stable release.
Now, company founder Carl Pei has tweeted that a beta program is coming to the Phone 1 ahead of the stable update (h/t: Phandroid). Unfortunately for Nothing fans who want to test Android 13, the beta version is only targeted for a release “by the end of the year.”
On the one hand, this timeline is disappointing as it means Nothing will be lagging behind rivals when it comes to timely Android 13 releases for the latest devices. It’s also a little disheartening to hear when a new company like Essential was able to quickly deliver updates to its first phone back in 2018.
You also have to question the lengthy timeline for both stable and beta releases when Nothing’s take on Android sticks closely to stock in the first place. It’s not as if they’re running a heavy, feature-packed skin like MIUI or One UI which requires a lot more work and resources for updates.
On the other hand, we can understand Pei’s claim that it didn’t want to compromise the user experience by rushing things. This is particularly important in light of buggy updates by OnePlus in bygone years. And we’re still holding out hope that the targeted release window is merely a worst-case scenario.
