Quick Summary
The CMF Phone (1) is likely a rebranded Nothing Phone (2a) with a lower price tag.
It could sacrifice some features like NFC and the Glyph Interface, but will introduce a new design, too.
Nothing has made some big moves in the last 12 months, not only launching a budget device – the Nothing Phone (2a) – but also a sub-brand, known as CMF. And it looks like these two worlds are going to collide with the launch of the next phone, although the handset might not be what you think.
The details come from X user MlgmXyysd (via 91mobiles) and follow on from an earlier leak of the CMF Phone (1). They give us an insight into the specs that this phone might offer – and they look mighty close to the Nothing Phone (2a).
That's a good thing: when our expert reviewer Mike Lowe passed judgement on the Nothing Phone (2a), he concluded that "it's Android's new cheap phone champion". It might be that the CMF Phone (1) can offer a similar experience for less money, albeit lacking the excitement of the Glyph Interface of the rear.
Potentially, it could run away with the best cheap phone award for 2024, therefore, and is one to keep an eye on.
CMF by Nothing Phone (1)Model: A015SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Series (MT6886)Screen Type: 6.67” OLED, 120 Hz refresh rateColor: Black / Green / Blue / Orange(IN only)Battery: 5000 mAh + 33 W Fast ChargeMemory: 8 GB, LPDDR4X 2133 MHz#leaks #leak #Nothing #CMFbyNothingMay 15, 2024
Starting at the top, the CMF Phone (1) is reported to have the same 6.7-inch OLED display as the Nothing Phone (2a), with a 120Hz refresh rate and topped with Gorilla Glass 5.
The new CMF device is said to be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, with 8GB RAM and 128/256GB storage with microSD. That's mostly the same as the Nothing Phone (2a), although Nothing's device doesn't support microSD. There's a chance that the dual SIM support of the Nothing Phone (2a) has been switched-up to support microSD to give enhanced appeal at the affordable end of the market.
Moving on, it's expected that the main camera will be the same 50-megapixel shooter, although it's unclear what the CMF's secondary camera will be – if it even has one.
On the front, the CMF steps down to a 16-megapixel selfie camera compared to the 32-megapixel camera on the Nothing Phone.
Both phones have a 5,000mAh battery, but Nothing gets more premium charging, with 45W, while CMF is going to be limited to 33W. But still, that's a faster charging rate than the iPhone 15, so still not too bad for a budget device.
Finally, both phones are thought to run the same Nothing OS build based on Android 14. There's naturally no Glyph controls on the CMF device, and it's also said to miss out on NFC, which means it won't support mobile payments.
What's more interesting is that the leak says that the CMF Phone (1) will have a removable plastic back. While this feature on phones has been scarce in recent years, it could add a little fun – and might make this phone harder to break than some recent devices.
The CMF Phone (1) could get itself a July launch, with the price said to be around $249. That could make it $100 cheaper than the Nothing Phone equivalent device, which is something to be excited about.
