Nothing Scales Back Lock Screen Ads on Select Models, Retains Feature on Budget Devices

Nothing has reversed course on its contentious Lock Glimpse feature, removing lock screen advertisements from its flagship Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro devices following sustained user criticism. The ads, however, will persist on the budget-tier Phone (3a) Lite and future CMF-branded devices—a strategic decision highlighting the tradeoffs manufacturers make when balancing affordability against user experience.

The Lock Glimpse feature debuted in October 2025 with Nothing OS 4.0, built on Android 16. Marketed as a dynamic lock screen enhancement, it displayed promotional content and advertisements before device unlocking. Despite an option to disable ad displays, users across forums and social media reported significant battery drain attributed to background processes related to the feature. Independent testing suggested Lock Glimpse could consume up to 15% additional battery daily due to continuous content-fetching routines, even when visually inactive.

Nothing confirmed the removal for its premium models via official channels but defended retaining Lock Glimpse on the Phone (3a) Lite. A company representative stated: "To deliver strong overall value at a more accessible price, certain tradeoffs apply." This positions Lock Glimpse as a revenue-generating mechanism subsidizing the Lite's lower cost. The feature remains disabled by default on Lite devices, with removal accessible via Settings > Lock Screen > Glimpse Settings.

Technical analysis reveals why Lock Glimpse impacts battery performance. The system maintains persistent connections to ad servers, refreshing content hourly while using device location and usage patterns for targeted promotions. This architecture creates background activity that standard battery optimization tools struggle to mitigate. For Lite users, disabling ads may reduce but not eliminate this overhead due to residual background services.

The partial retreat reflects broader industry tension between monetization and user autonomy. While Samsung and Xiaomi experiment with lock screen promotions on mid-range devices, Nothing's tiered approach—removing ads from premium models while retaining them on entry-level hardware—sets a precedent for segment-specific monetization. Consumers prioritizing battery efficiency and ad-free experiences now face clearer distinctions between Nothing's product lines, though lingering concerns about background resource consumption remain unresolved for Lite owners.