Overview
- Nothing says OS 4.1 based on Android 16 is reaching the Phone (4a) now, landing on the 4a Pro next, with older models slated to follow in the coming weeks.
- Live Updates support lets compatible apps show real-time progress on the Glyph Bar as well as the always-on display, lock screen, status bar, and notifications.
- A new Relaxation Hub adds Breathing Break widgets in Focus, Relax, and Calm modes that use tuned haptics to guide paced breathing.
- The Gallery app gains an on-device AI Eraser for object removal, the Essential Apps drawer highlights recommended installs with one-tap placement on the home screen, and lock screen options expand with a new clock face, Depth Effect (beta), and adjustable sizing and alignment.
- Hands-on reviews of the Phone (4a) Pro report an all‑metal unibody, a larger and brighter Glyph Matrix, Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, a new 50MP Sony main camera with periscope telephoto, and a roughly 5,000‑nit display, with U.S. preorders at $499 shipping March 27 and Canadian retail via Best Buy, though some testers note auto-brightness quirks and an eSIM error on one carrier.