Nothing’s sub-brand CMF (short for Color Material Finish) isn’t relying on conventional on turning out cookie-cutter products at a lower price, and its debut phone, the Phone 1, is the best example of how design can be a differentiator even when you’re shopping on a budget. Pick up the CMF Phone 1, flip it around and you’ll see four exposed flathead-type stainless-steel screws along with a smaller circular dial on the bottom right. Unscrew all of these, remove the SIM tray and you can wrestle off the back panel and snap on a blue, orange or light green color case, if you pick up the black variant. These cases are each Rs. 1,499 and come with a color coordinated circular dial, SIM card slot, screws and a tiny screwdriver-cum-SIM eject tool, and while they’re somewhat pricey compared to the retail price of the phone, they add the ability to swap in/out different colors to suit your taste or if the original gets damaged after one too many drops. Expectedly due to its non-sealed design, water and dust protection is only at IP52 levels.
What’s more interesting is that the circular dial, dubbed the “Accessory Point” by CMF, allows you to attach from one of three first-party accessories - a fold-out stand to prop up your phone to watch content, a card case that lets you stash a couple of cards and cash or a hiking-grade lanyard to sling-wear your phone. All of these are Rs. 799 each, but what excites me far more is the possibilities that third-party accessory manufacturers can bring to the table. Heck, Nothing has released documentation to let users 3D print their own Phone 1 back covers!