You probably know Nothing, the technology company formed by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, but did you also know it has its own sub-brand called CMF? Well, it’s time to start paying attention to it. After quietly releasing some earbuds, accessories, and a smartwatch, it’s about to step into that most crowded of fields, smartphones, with the CMF Phone 1.
Announced through the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, CMF by Nothing states that the phone will “leverage Nothing’s innovation and meticulous attention to design,” and “serve as a wonderful entry point to our entire product ecosystem.” It also says “others overlook this category,” which doesn’t sound quite right given the amount of smartphones there are to choose from, but it may also be reference to supposed “phone killer” devices like the Rabbit R1.
It’s not the phone’s only similarity to the Rabbit R1 either, as CMF’s design team has seen the scroll wheel on that unusual device and decided it would like some of the same for the CMF Phone 1. Aside from the very bright orange color — a hue CMF by Nothing has used for its previous releases and that has nothing to do with the R1 — the corner-mounted wheel is a very intriguing part of the teaser. CMF by Nothing has incorporated something like it into the case for its Neckband Pro earbuds and case, but its function on the CMF Phone 1 is a mystery for now.
The official Nothing X account is in on the CMF Phone 1 teaser action too, showing an image of a pronounced screw head on a mystery device, and a cryptic message with only a screw head and smartphone emoji. The timing suggests it’s all part of the CMF Phone 1’s hype. Another post on X has potentially leaked the CMF Phone 1’s specification, claiming it will have a 6.7-inch OLED screen and a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor, along with a 5,000mAh battery and 33-watt charging.
Along with the possible specifications, an image shows what may be the CMF Phone 1. It seems to be in a protective cover (often used by manufacturers to obscure the overall design of unreleased devices) where the bottom-right corner is deliberately covered by a raised section, indicating the presence of a design feature like the scroll wheel. We always want to see brightly colored new smartphones, and the function of the scroll wheel has us intrigued, so the CMF Phone 1 is one we’re looking forward to seeing, but when will this be?
CMF by Nothing only says the phone is coming soon, without providing any firm details of its announcement. Visit the CMF by Nothing website and the same teaser image from the company’s X account is displayed, with the option to sign up to receive updates. CMF by Nothing sells its hardware in many regions, including the U.K., but it has so far not launched any products in the U.S.
