Something strange has happened. For the first time in my life, I’m actually excited about the upcoming launch of a budget smartphone.
The device in question is the CMF Phone 1 and I’m more intrigued by it than Samsung’s impending Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 – I’ll tell you why.
To set the scene, CMF is the sub-brand of Nothing, a young challenger brand led by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. Under the name CMF by Nothing, the firm offers cheaper and more colorful versions of its devices.
So far we’ve seen devices including the CMF Watch Pro, a very cheap smartwatch, but the Phone 1 will be its first smartphone.
As for the specifications, the handset is rumored to be similar to the Nothing Phone (2a), which means it will compete with the best cheap handsets with features like a 120Hz AMOLED display, 50mm camera Mp and a charge of 33 W, but it is the design which is retained. my eye.
Budget smartphones, let’s face it, are boring, even if they serve an important function. However, the CMF Phone 1 seems unlike any cheap blower from the likes of Motorola, Samsung or others.
We already know that the Phone 1 will feature a bright orange design that in itself will help it stand out from the crowd. And the textured back cover should be both more grippy and fingerprint-proof compared to plastic or glass alternatives.
Most intriguing of all, however, is the dial in the corner, which the company has given no indication of its use. “What does it do?” I wonder as I lie awake at night.
This can be used to adjust the volume, scroll through social media or web pages, or zoom when using the camera. It can serve all of these things and more, or, ironically, it can serve no purpose at all.
Maybe just something fun to play with, like a built-in fidget spinner. Similar things have been seen in CMF designs before, like the earphone case and I personally like to rotate the case mindlessly on the Nothing Ear (Stick).
CMF has confirmed that the dial on the CMF Buds Pro 2 case is “a customizable smart dial for intuitive sound control”, so fingers crossed the phone’s dial is something similar. The third circle in the middle of the teaser above, by the way, is for the CMF Watch Pro 2.
Although the back of the phone naturally lacks the glyph lights of the Nothing phones, it appears that the cover is removable by means of a screw. As someone who loves to tinker, taking things apart and seeing how they work, this brings me great joy.
This could also mean you can swap out different coloured back covers (a black model has been mooted) like back in the Nokia 3210 days and even the possibility of a removable battery.
Whatever Nothing has in store for us with the CMF Phone 1, we don’t have long to find out. The smartphone will be unveiled on July 8 alongside the CMF Watch Pro 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2.