On July 8, Nothing planned to unveil the first smartphone from its low-cost CMF subbrand. However, in a series of continuous teases, it has disclosed the CMF Phone 1's distinctive customizability, which includes an easily removable rear panel and a dial for attaching accessories. This variant will not support the light-up glyphs found on the Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2, but a brief video showcasing a revolving dial on the rear appears to be modeled after the aluminum alloy dial on the CMF Buds, which permits a lanyard to be fastened to the earbuds' charging case.
The teaser released today appears to suggest that the phone's dial will, at the very least, work similarly to the CMF Buds' dial in order to accept accessories. The dial can be unscrewed and replaced with optional attachments, such as a folding kickstand and lanyard mount. Will it have more features? While there haven't been any cryptic clues, the displayed dial is similar to the CMF Neckband Pro headphones' smart dial, which controls playback, volume, and active noise cancellation.
Although it's unclear if other manufacturers are producing replacement rear panels, a closer look suggests that the device might support panels that add a wallet to hold credit and ID cards or a larger battery, a la Mophie Juice Pack or the Motorola phones that supported "Moto Mods" a few years ago. It's also unclear whether taking off the back panel will make it simpler to reach the CMF Phone 1's internal components, including the battery, but the feature might be more about personalizing looks and features than making repairs easier.
No comments