Nothing's New Phone: Fans Upset Over Ads and Preinstalled Apps
New Budget Phone Announced
Nothing, the company known for its unique phones and earbuds, is launching a new budget phone called the Phone 3a Lite. The announcement came with a short teaser showing the bottom part of the phone, which has a blinking LED light. This new phone is expected to be cheaper than the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, which were released last year.
Preinstalled Ads and Apps Spark Backlash
The news that has fans upset is not about the phone itself. Nothing is planning to include preinstalled ads and apps, also known as bloatware, on its phones. This was discovered in the latest beta version of Nothing OS 4.0. There is a new feature called "Lock Glimpse" that shows different wallpapers and links to articles that look like ads.
Nothing's Justification
Nothing is not hiding this change. Akis Evangelis, a cofounder and president of the India region, shared the news openly. He explained that these apps are popular ones that people usually install right away, like Instagram. He also said that these apps can improve the phone's performance and features, like the camera or sharing options.
Evangelis explained that adding these apps to their budget and mid-range phones is necessary for the company to make money and keep prices low. He also pointed out that other brands, like Samsung, do the same thing. But this has not made Nothing's fans happy.
Fan Outrage and Petitions
On the r/Nothing Tech forum, many users are upset. They feel that this goes against Nothing's promise of a clean, simple Android experience. Some users have said they will not buy a Nothing phone in the future because of this change. One user even started a petition on Change.org asking Nothing to reverse its decision.
A Glimmer of Hope
The only good thing about this situation is that Nothing might allow users to uninstall or disable these preinstalled apps. This is how many budget and mid-range phones work. It's not perfect, but it helps keep the prices lower than flagship phones.
