Hey Community,

Most software is built for everyone. Essential is built around you. It’s the layer within Nothing OS where your phone learns what you need, remembers what matters and creates tools that fit how you actually live.

We’re early. The only way to build this properly is to learn from how real people use it.

That’s why we created Essential Lab.

Essential Lab is where we invite people to experiment, build and turn everyday needs into useful tools. What comes out of it directly shapes how Essential evolves, from the apps you build to how Space, Search and Memory work together. Your ideas don’t just stay yours. They accelerate personal software for everyone.

The Contest

For Season 1, we’re starting by inviting students from around the world to explore what personal software looks like. You’ll have 24 hours to build one Essential App, a small personal app designed to help with a specific moment, task or decision in your day. Describe what you want it to do, and our AI-powered Apps Builder helps bring it to life. You can also explore Essential Apps created by the Nothing Community on Playground, from simple everyday tools to more experimental ideas.

You don’t need a Nothing phone to participate. The contest runs entirely through a contest environment in the Essential Apps Builder, so any participant can build and submit.

Simple ideas are encouraged. Think a task you repeat often, a daily problem you deal with or a small tool you wish already existed.

To help inspire what you build, here’s what your app can tap into during the contest:

Calendar
Contacts
Location
Weather
Camera
Microphone
Gallery
Motion sensors
Health Connect
Daily steps
Usage statistics
System notifications
Internet data
Vibration
Sounds and toast notifications.

Once the contest window closes, the Essential team reviews every submission. We’re looking at clarity, usefulness, thoughtfulness and execution. Simple and focused usually stands out.

For the best experience, and to publish smoothly during the contest window, please open the contest environment link and use the Apps Builder on a laptop/desktop.

What happens after.

This contest is just the start of Season 1. We’ll keep expanding Beta access from the waitlist, testing new Essential experiences and learning from how people actually use this stuff.

Shortlisted participants and winners get invited into the Essential Network, a smaller group we work with more closely through early access, feedback sessions and ongoing collaboration as Essential evolves.

👉 Contest Page Link
👉Playground Link