Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- software:essential_apps_and_playground [20 May 2026 12:06] – Added advert info and updated quote formatting + backlinks Adam
+++ software:essential_apps_and_playground [30 July 2026 12:47] (current) – Approved Adam
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Compatibility = [[:hardware|Nothing phones]] and [[:cmf|CMF by Nothing phones ]] running [[:software:nothing_os#nothing_os_40|Nothing OS 4.0]]+
 Website = [[https://playground.nothing.tech|playground.nothing.tech]]
+Application links = [[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details|Play Store]]
 }}
 On 30 September 2025, alongside [[software:nothing_os#nothing_os_40|Nothing OS 4.0]] Open Beta, Nothing announced Essential Apps, an AI based platform that allows community members to create their own [[software:nothing_os|Nothing OS]] widgets, and the new Playground site, a first party platform for sharing community creations such as Glyph Toys for the [[software:glyph_interface#glyph_matrix|Glyph Matrix]] and camera presets.
-The move was titled <quote>Our first step towards an AI-native operating system.</quote> and was released alongside a futuristic and playful advert titled "Welcome to Essential". Some users hailed this as "beautiful" and "the best ad I've ever seen" while expressing confusion at the lack of information conveyed.((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NanJxbbyZJ8)) Nothing also unveiled essential.com as part of the [[:essential|Essential]] suite at the same time.((https://nothing.community/d/43142))((https://www.linkedin.com/posts/getpeid_today-we-launch-essential-our-first-major-activity-7378766513480146944-93SX))
+The move was titled <quote>Our first step towards an AI-native operating system.</quote> and was released alongside a futuristic and playful advert titled "Welcome to Essential". Some users hailed this as "beautiful" and "the best ad I've ever seen" while expressing confusion at the lack of information conveyed.((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NanJxbbyZJ8)) Nothing also unveiled essential.com as part of the [[:essential|Essential]] suite at the same time.((https://nothing.community/d/43142-our-first-step-towards-an-ai-native-operating-system))((https://www.linkedin.com/posts/getpeid_today-we-launch-essential-our-first-major-activity-7378766513480146944-93SX))
 ====== Essential Apps ======
 Essential Apps is a first-party AI platform that empowers everyday users to create their own [[software:nothing_os|Nothing OS]] apps using natural language models and vibe coding, without any technical knowledge. In the announcement post, Nothing said <blockquote>AI instantly generates an Essential App that you can add to your home screen. These apps are a first step towards creating a hyper personalised smartphone experience. They build towards a future where your phone shapes itself around who you are.</blockquote>
-{{:software:essential_apps.webp |A screenshot of the Essential Apps designer. Source: [[https://nothing.community/d/43142|Rob via nothing.community]]}}The platform was initially opened in an Alpha state and required users to join a waitlist for early access.((https://nothing.community/d/43142)) Access was granted in waves, though how and when these waves occurred was not communicated and some users vented frustration at not being granted access or understanding the process.((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1r23cw2/how_you_can_create_your_own_essential_app/))((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1ofkc81/has_anyone_actually_gotten_early_access_to_the/))
+{{:software:essential_apps.webp |A screenshot of the Essential Apps designer. Source: [[https://nothing.community/d/43142-our-first-step-towards-an-ai-native-operating-system|Rob via nothing.community]]}}The web-based platform was initially opened in an Alpha state and required users to join a waitlist for early access.((https://nothing.community/d/43142-our-first-step-towards-an-ai-native-operating-system)) Access was granted in waves, though how and when these waves occurred was not communicated and some users vented frustration at not being granted access or understanding the process.((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1r23cw2/how_you_can_create_your_own_essential_app/))((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1ofkc81/has_anyone_actually_gotten_early_access_to_the/))
+At release, [[software:nothing_os#nothing_os_40|Nothing OS 4.0]] Open Beta users could browse the Playground for widgets that early access users had created and install them directly on their devices. There was a ‘temporary limit’ on the number of Essential Apps you can use simultaneously; with [[hardware:phone_3|Phone (3)]] supporting up to six widgets, and all other models supporting up to two.((https://nothing.community/d/43142-our-first-step-towards-an-ai-native-operating-system))
+\\ \\
+===== Release & rollout =====
+Although Essential Apps started as a web-based platform, with users creating apps through a browser before deploying them to supported [[:hardware|Nothing phones]], Nothing later pivoted into developing a native Essential Apps mobile application. This enabled users to complete the end to end build, preview/test and deployment activities directly on supported [[:hardware|Nothing devices]], all in one place.
+The app was released on the Google Play store, with access rolling out in stages. Existing users with access to the web-based builder were granted access first, followed by users on the waitlist over subsequent weeks.((https://nothing.community/d/60310-build-essential-apps-on-your-phone)) Although the app became immediately available and downloadable to the general public, it remained unusable until access was enabled for the user's account, rendering a generic "Please update AiWidget and restart" error message for users that didn't yet have access. Although Nothing's post on [[:community:community_platforms#nothingcommunity|nothing.community]] stated that this behaviour is expected, it caused some confusion amongst users who hadn't seen the announcement.((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1v7upfx/essential_apps_wont_start/))((https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1v4g76c/new_essential_apps_bug/))
+Nothing stated that the waitlist would eventually be removed as Essential Apps progressed towards a wider general release, but didn't specify an expected timeline.((https://nothing.community/d/60310-build-essential-apps-on-your-phone))
-At release, [[software:nothing_os#nothing_os_40|Nothing OS 4.0]] Open Beta users could browse the Playground for widgets that early access users had created and install them directly on their devices. There was a ‘temporary limit’ on the number of Essential Apps you can use simultaneously; with [[hardware:phone_3|Phone (3)]] supporting up to 6 widgets, and all other models supporting up to 2.((https://nothing.community/d/43142))
-\\ \\ \\
 ====== Playground ======
-Playground is a first-party online platform aimed at helping users to post and discover community creations such as Essential Apps, Glyph Toys for the [[software:glyph_interface#glyph_matrix|Glyph Matrix]], camera presets and EQ profiles. Free from the constraints of traditional app stores, it enables users to download directly to their device from the website by scanning a QR code.((https://nothing.community/d/43142)) Prior to this, there was no single platform aimed at sharing these creations. Users posted their projects to Nothing's [[community:community_platforms|community platforms]], r/NothingTech had a projects wiki, and other community members had made their own platforms to fulfil this purpose.
+Playground is a first-party online platform aimed at helping users to post and discover community creations such as Essential Apps, Glyph Toys for the [[software:glyph_interface#glyph_matrix|Glyph Matrix]], camera presets and EQ profiles. Free from the constraints of traditional app stores, it enables users to download directly to their device from the website by scanning a QR code.((https://nothing.community/d/43142-our-first-step-towards-an-ai-native-operating-system)) Prior to this, there was no single platform aimed at sharing these creations. Users posted their projects to Nothing's [[community:community_platforms|community platforms]], r/NothingTech had a projects wiki, and other community members had made their own platforms to fulfil this purpose.
+A few months after release, some users noted the lack of new content being published to the Playground.((https://nothing.community/en/d/52136-what-happened-to-the-playground)) During the Essential Apps application announcement, Nothing also released a statement officially pausing publishing of apps to the Playground, instead focusing their efforts on building <quote>the best possible creation experience.</quote> Once the Essential Apps application was fully polished, new widgets would be published for download.((https://nothing.community/d/60310-build-essential-apps-on-your-phone))