Nothing's Subsidiary Brand CMF Launches Debut Phone, and Updates Earbuds and Watch
CMF by Nothing continues to prove that good design doesn’t have to cost a lot.
Following on from its introduction and inaugural three-product launch last fall, CMF by Nothing today announced another trio of devices including its debut smartphone, CMF Phone 1, and second-generation iterations of its earbuds and smartwatch, CMF Buds Pro 2 and CMF Watch Pro 2.
Created as a sub-brand of the London-based tech company Nothing, CMF by Nothing is marketed as an affordable alternative to its main line of products – one, however, that retains its considered and distinctive take on design. After bursting onto the scene in 2021, Nothing’s transparent phones – with their unique Glyph lighting systems – quickly became instantly recognizable, marking the genesis of a design language the brand has carried through its evolving product range, and one that led to all three of its existing smartphones receiving Red Dot Design Awards.
CMF Phone 1, the first phone from the brand’s affordable offshoot, takes things in a new direction. The Glyph system is gone (understandably so, given the device’s lower-end price) and has been replaced by user-swappable back covers reminiscent of phones from the early 2000s. The device is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 5G chipset, a processor the chipmaker co-developed with Nothing for this launch, together with an impressive 5,000 mAh battery that puts the brand’s cheapest device on a par with its most expensive, Phone (2a), in terms of battery life. CMF Phone 1 comes with a base of 8GB RAM, but can utilize a process the brand calls ‘RAM Booster’ – wherein the onboard system memories are shared – to achieve the equivalent of 16GB of RAM .
Aside from the internals, CMF Phone 1 boasts a bright 6.67” Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, capable of reaching a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. It has a single 50 megapixel rear-camera developed by Sony, but this features duals sensors with one of these dedicated entirely to processing portrait images. On the front you’ll find a single 16 megapixel selfie camera and CMF Phone 1 runs Nothing OS 2.6, Nothing’s latest customized version of Android.
Today’s announcement also marks the first-ever second versions of a CMF by Nothing product, with the new CMF Watch Pro 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 building on the debut models that launched last September.
CMF Watch Pro 2 takes cues from the new phone and features interchangeable bezels, allowing users to easily swap these out for a custom look anytime. It features an always-on 1.32’’ AMOLED display with over 100 watch faces to choose from. Users looking to get active have over 120 different sports modes to choose from, and the watch is capable of automatically recognizing five sports including running and cycling. CMF Watch Pro 2 can also monitor heart rate, blood oxygen saturation and – the brand claims – “stress levels” (though what this means exactly isn’t clear). While the watch does not feature built-in cellular or WiFi connectivity, it can connect to your phone via Bluetooth to make phone calls, control music and so on. It has a 300mAh battery that lasts “up to 11 days”, according to the brand, and is IP68 water- and dust-resistant.
The new CMF Buds Pro 2 arrive in the same three original colors – ‘dark’, ‘light’ and ‘orange’ – as well as a newly introduced ‘blue’. The buds feature six high-definition microphones that are coupled with Clear Voice Technology 2.0 and Wind-Noise Reduction 2.0; these serve for calls and help to facilitate active noise-canceling. They are powered by dual drivers that include a custom-made 11mm dynamic bass driver and a 6mm micro planar tweeter, and feature a total of 43 hours of battery with the included charging case. The charging case itself is quite unique, featuring a customizable ‘Smart Dial’ that lets users control most of their settings.
CMF by Nothing’s new products are available to pre-order worldwide today with regular sales starting July 12. CMF Phone 1 comes in three models and starts at $199 USD / £209 GBP / €239 EUR; accessories including the user-swappable back covers start at $25 USD / £19 GBP / €25 EUR. CMF Watch Pro 2 is priced at $69 USD / £69 GBP / €69 EUR and CMF Buds Pro 2 will cost you $59 USD / £59 GBP / €59 EUR.
