Nothing has begun rolling out its Essential Apps Beta, bringing AI-generated mini-apps and widgets to select devices. The feature, which first launched in Alpha late last year for early adopters, is now expanding through a waitlist system. The Beta is initially available only on the Nothing Phone (3) due to its processing capabilities.

Essential Apps allows users to create personalized applications by describing their needs in plain language. The AI-powered Apps Builder then generates functional widgets that can appear directly on the home screen. Currently, the system supports three permissions: Location, Calendar (read-only), and Contacts. This enables users to create location-based reminders, agenda views, meeting countdowns, and one-tap contact widgets.

Future updates promise expanded capabilities including camera and microphone access, network fetching, notifications, vibration, calling, and Bluetooth. Nothing plans to release an OS update in late February that will unlock activity recognition, usage statistics, sensor data, and its first system Weather API. The company says Essential Apps will move to public release later this year once system integrations stabilize and device compatibility expands across its ecosystem.