From bloatware to roots: Carl Pei admits Nothing needs to do better

Stephen Radochia / Android AuthorityAdd Android Authority on Google: TL;DR Nothing Phone 2 is done with major Android updates, but Pei says its Android 17 cutoff isn’t a broken promise. Pei admits Nothing needs to rethink some software choices and may have moved too quickly away from its original design identity. As Nothing expands in the US and explores new products, Pei says the focus should be on doing less, but better. Nothing CEO Carl Pei has never been particularly shy about talking directly to the company’s community, and a recent Reddit AMA produced some unusually candid answers. From the Phone 2’s Nothing OS 5.0 situation to bloatware, the Glyph, AI, and Nothing’s broader product strategy, Pei gave fans plenty to discuss. The most interesting part, though, may be how willing he was to acknowledge that some of Nothing’s recent decisions haven’t quite landed as intended.Why isn’t Nothing Phone 2 getting Android 17?The Nothing Phone 2 will end its major Android update run with Android 16, and Pei says the reason comes down to its aging software stack and chipset support.“The kernel is unfortunately too old,” Pei explained, adding that Android 17 won’t be supported by the chipset vendor. He also pointed out that Nothing originally promised three major Android updates for the phone, with security patches running through 2027.Pei initially said the Phone 2 had received four major updates — Android 13, Android 14, Android 15, and Android 16 — before correcting himself and clarifying that the company had fulfilled its original commitment rather than exceeded it.Has Nothing gone too far with monetization?One user took issue with semi-forced app installs and games appearing on Nothing phones. Pei’s response was refreshingly direct: he agreed Nothing should dial this back and find a better balance between user value and monetization.The admission is notable, particularly as Nothing looks for more ways to monetize beyond hardware sales.The conversation also touched on the company’s broader strategy. Pei said Nothing has sometimes been “strategically lazy” while working hard on tactical matters, and that “less but better” is the desired direction. That thinking could explain why features such as Shared Widgets and Essential Search aren’t currently priorities.Did Nothing change its designs too quickly? Nothing’s design language has evolved considerably since the Phone 1, and Pei acknowledged that the company may have moved too quickly.He recently told the team it needs to get back to the spirit that defined the Phone 1 era. That doesn’t necessarily mean recreating the original phone, but it suggests Nothing is taking another look at what made its early hardware so distinctive.Pei also liked the idea of bringing back the old “OK Google” Glyph animation, although that remains feedback rather than a confirmed feature.Can Nothing crack the US market?Nothing is growing quickly in the US, according to Pei, with the company building out its team and partnerships. Its nationwide Best Buy rollout is one example. The bigger challenge is figuring out what Nothing’s phones should actually offer American buyers.Pei said Nothing has found product-market fit with its audio products, but isn’t yet certain about its phone strategy. A Nothing phone can’t simply be another smartphone, he argued. It needs to do something better than an iPhone in one important way that really matters to users.The company is still trying to figure out what that is.What’s next for Nothing? Beyond phones, Nothing is still weighing plenty of ideas. The popular CMF line could return, while a transparent Nothing Watch nearly launched this year before the company decided it needed more time to “cook.” The company also has no plans for a Windows laptop.Pei remains excited about AI, but he’s also wary of where the industry is heading. For Nothing, the goal is to use AI to make people better, smarter, and more creative rather than simply adding AI for its own sake. Essential Key remapping is also in development for Nothing OS 5.1, giving users more control over the button.For now, though, the bigger story is Nothing’s attempt to rediscover what made it interesting in the first place. As Pei put it, “less but better” may be the direction that guides the company from here.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.