Nothing takes a slight step back on bloatware and ads
Nothing is taking a step back in its foray into the bloatware world. Furthermore, the manufacturer says it is listening to the community.
Nothing is facing a lot of criticism from the community due to its bloatware.
(Image: Nothing)
Last week, the London-based tech startup Nothing announced that on its newer budget models like the new Phone (3a) Lite, with the update to NothingOS 4.0, it would not only install bloatware but also display ads on the lock screen via the “Lock Glimpse” app. Nothing's large community sharply criticized the plans. Since then, the manufacturer has taken a slight step back.
Broken Promise
Nothing seems to have adopted Mark Zuckerberg's old motto, “Move fast, break things.” Because with the announcement of pre-installed bloatware apps and ads on the lock screen, the company broke its own openly communicated principles. Since 2022, even before the presentation of the first smartphone, the company has stated that its user interface is “focused on the essentials” and offers a fast user experience free of bloatware.
On X, Nothing co-founder Carl Pei wrote clearly in April 2022, “no bloatware,” and in this context meant apps like Instagram. This tweet is now coming back to haunt the company because one of the apps that is to be pre-installed on budget devices in the future is Instagram. A user commented on the tweet on November 1st with the ironic statement “This aged well, lol” (“This aged well”). In addition to Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok will also be pre-installed on budget devices from NothingOS 4.0.
At least Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis said in the announcement of the new strategy that all pre-installed apps could simply be uninstalled. But that wasn't entirely true, as 9to5 Google reported, among others. In addition to the apps, service applications from Meta are also pre-installed, which, although they can be deactivated, cannot be easily removed.
But that is now changing: As Evangelidis writes in an update to his announcement post, users will also be able to delete the Meta services with an update to the beta of NothingOS 4.0. Nothing told heise online that the next update is planned for the end of November, at which time initial adjustments based on current feedback will already be made, “including the ability to uninstall the apps.” Unlike other manufacturers, the approach of completely removable apps and services is better, yet users are served apps they never wanted.
Videos by heise
Upon inquiry from heise online, Nothing also clarified that these are currently just test runs. NothingOS 4.0 is still in a “beta testing phase”: “We are testing the feature and take our users' feedback very seriously—it actively flows into further development. We are closely monitoring our community's reactions,” writes Nothing.
The “Lock Glimpse” function is also not yet final. The manufacturer is working with a third-party content provider within the open beta test “so that we can derive learnings for NothingOS 4.0 on how and whether we want to further develop Lock Glimpse.” Content currently displayed may therefore only be test runs, and beta users of the software ultimately guinea pigs who should ideally provide feedback on this function.
Nothing has to make money
The money from smartphone sales is apparently not enough for nothing. Evangelidis said in his post that they work with tiny margins; furthermore, one of the biggest challenges for any new market entrant is “managing the bill of materials (BOM), which are higher than those of established players.”
In addition, most companies have software-based revenue streams, with the simplest form being pre-installed partner apps and services. This is an industry-standard approach that even major brands like Samsung use.
Nothing is already working on software-based revenue streams of its own. The company has received $200 million from investors for this purpose. Nothing has set itself the goal of developing an AI-native platform. The manufacturer had already shown the first approaches with its Essential Spaces. Recently, as a further step, the startup announced an AI toolbox at Essential.com, which is to be developed into a full-fledged operating system called Essential OS later. It remains questionable whether the whole thing will be successful and lucrative.
At least for the transition, Nothing seems to be experimenting with revenue streams on its budget models and releasing some devices more or less twice as CMF and Nothing Phone—for example, the Phone (3a) Lite, which is available at the same price in a similar form as the CMF Phone Pro 2. The CMF model has a 50 MP telephoto zoom, while the 3 (a) Lite instead only has a 2 MP macro.
(afl)
