Nothing confirms that the CMF Phone 1 is coming soon

Summary

• Nothing Phone 3 is embracing AI features and will be released in 2025, breaking the company’s release pattern.
• Latest teaser hints at CMF Phone 1 with customizable back covers and a unique knob feature.
• CMF Phone 1 is an experimental ground for Nothing, with potential pricing around $240.

London, UK-based Nothing has made its Nothing Phone 3 official. In a recent X (Twitter) post, Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced that the company is finally jumping on the AI bandwagon, and the eventual Phone 3 will be its first smartphone to don AI features. Pei also revealed that the Nothing Phone 3 will be released in 2025, breaking the company’s usual release pattern.

For reference, the Nothing Phone 1 came out in July 2022, while the Phone 2 made its way in July 2023. We could argue that the Nothing Phone 2a filled the 2024 release spot, but there is yet another smartphone the company is working on that is expected to be released this year.

Earlier this week, Nothing teased a new device on its X account, which, at first glance, looked like a laptop’s base panel. Some even speculated it would be the company’s first tablet. The teased image didn’t reveal much except the fact the device had a prominent screw on its rear. Further, the image’s caption read “3,2,1,” which we presume suggests that the device, whatever it may be, is near its eventual launch.

Subsequent leaks suggested that the device in the teaser image might be Nothing sub-brand CMF’s first smartphone, with a focus on customizability in the form of replaceable back covers. The device is also reported to feature a lock system in the bottom right corner, which might be what Nothing highlighted in its teaser tweet. The lock, which will reportedly be called ‘Nothing Lock,’ should allow users to add exclusive add-ons to their device.

Although we weren’t entirely skeptical of the leak, we still wanted to take it with a grain of salt. Now, however, Nothing has confirmed that the first CMF phone is in development and coming soon.

Teaser #2

The first teaser image showed the rear of the upcoming device in Black, with a matte-ish finish. The image, which was cropped into the right corner of the device, only highlighted the screw. A new teaser image now shows us the bottom left corner of the device, which features what looks to be a knob of some sort. The knob and the backplate are Orange, and feature a different texture than the device shown in the first teaser. This could be Nothing’s way of highlighting the CMF Phone 1’s replaceable back covers.

It is currently unclear what the knob does. It might be limited to adjusting volume or could support multiple phone functions. On that note, I just grabbed my phone and imagined it had a similar knob on the bottom left, and I kid you not, my pinky finger felt at home rotating an imaginary knob. Would it be more practical than regular volume rockers? No. But CMF is an experiment ground for Nothing, and I’m all for it. Oh, and by the way, using the knob wouldn’t be as convenient if you’re a lefty because it will just sit against your palm. We’ll have to wait and see how CMF tackles that. We’re also expecting Nothing to continue teasing the device. We’ve seen the bottom left and right of the device, and subsequent leaks might give us a look at the top right and the top left, culminating with our first full look at CMF’s Phone 1.

The CMF phone 1 is “coming soon.” We’re uncertain about its pricing, but previous leaks suggest it would cost in the ballpark of Rs 20,000, which is roughly $240.