Nothing’s Highly Tweakable CMF Phone 1 Inspires Fans To Get Creative
Image via CMF by Nothing
The CMF Phone 1 is the smartphone world’s nepo baby, launched under the wallet-friendly yet design-focused line from the Nothing brand. It’s visually attractive, highly adaptable, and it’s got everyone talking.
And while the extremely accessible price tag—starting from $199—would be enough to lure budget seekers and the tech-savvy alike, it’s the phone’s “engineering aesthetics” and “unique interchangeable design,” as coined by its makers, that help it stand out from industry greats like the iPhone.
Bucking the trend of hard-to-fix phones, the CMF Phone 1 has a back panel with detachable screws that allows users to personalize its appearance to their liking. There’s also an Accessory Point on the bottom right, where owners can hang arm candy onto.
Even before getting their hands on the model, makers have already started tinkering with the possibilities. A Nothing moderator by the name of Derren, for one, has dreamed up a case with a slot to show off your favorite Pokémon trading card.
Here's a thought, with CMF Phone 1 being modular, how about a trading card holder case 👀
— DerrenGoneDigital (@DerrenDigital) July 9, 2024
Big thanks to @Dylan_Bal1 for sorting me out a quick print of my prototype to visualise how something like this could look.@getpeid @cmfbynothing pic.twitter.com/bnIAm0yIjN
It's incredible finally being able to see this on device, looks better than I could have imagined. CMF Phone 1 is a great opportunity for the community to get creative, and I can't wait to see what people come up with. https://t.co/4XDXo3mWgw
— DerrenGoneDigital (@DerrenDigital) July 11, 2024
Another 3D-printed prototype from engineer Shantanu Goel imagines a camera grip for the phone to make the most out of its 50MP Sony rear camera.
Printed a few things for the CMF Phone 1.
— Shantanu Goel (@shantanugoel) July 10, 2024
First the files shared by @getpeid / @cmfbynothing for phone case.
Also designed a rough version of how a camera grip could hold into it. Need to refine this more to hold onto the frame or case and also a but more ergonomic pic.twitter.com/SifJJnqimG
Impressed by the early fan designs, Nothing CEO Carl Pei has shared the CMF Phone 1’s CAD file to encourage more builders to get explorative.
Here you go: https://t.co/ZLMqYad449
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) July 9, 2024
Elsewhere, the phone packs a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling. Under the hood, a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G processor ensures capable performance, complemented by up to 16GB of RAM with Nothing's software-based RAM Booster for multitasking. The CMF Phone 1 boasts a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery—enabling up to 23 hours of video play—with 33W fast charging.
Exploring CMF Phone 1 back renders w/ @mehulbhargava_
— Anunay (@byAnunay) July 10, 2024
C: Fiery Sunset Orange / Crystal Armor
M: Stainless Steel / Polycarbonate
F: Polished / Clear Glossy or Matte
Let us know if you have any ideas to accessorize the interchangeable mechanism.@nothing @cmfbynothing pic.twitter.com/lOqhi0BD8x
[via X, images via various sources]
