Like many other tech companies, Nothing has been focusing on AI-related developments. After announcing its plans for an “AI-native” operating system last month, the brand has unveiled what it calls its first step towards such an OS. Officially, it’s called Essential, and Nothing has bigger plans for it in the future. In essence, it is meant to offer a unique experience tailored for each individual. For now, though, it serves to let users generate apps.
This Essential Apps feature is available on phones that run on the company’s Nothing OS Android skin. It is worth noting that Essential Apps is currently in alpha, so those interested in trying it out must join a waitlist. As for how it works, the user only has to describe what they want, and the AI will generate an app that the user can then add to their homescreen. Essentially, it’s vibe coding, where no programming know-how is needed.
Of course, these aren’t exactly fully fledged apps. If anything, they are more akin to widgets with pretty basic functionalities. It is unclear whether the tool can handle complex designs at this point. Some example apps can be found in the Nothing Playground, which launched alongside Essential Apps as a hub for community creations. Among the widgets are a clock, an F1 schedule, and a “big eyes” made by company CEO Carl Pei.
There are other limitations as well. According to the brand, the Phone (3) running Nothing OS 4 supports up to six widgets. Meanwhile, other phones only support a maximum of two. The company claims that this limit is temporary, and that it is working to increase the number.
(Source: Nothing)
