Nothing: Debuts CMF Phone 1 with Modular Design Starting at $199

The modules on display don't seem to be a strong showing. A wallet case? Kickstand? Lanyard? These are things you can add to any phone with a $10 Amazon purchase. Compare this to the LG G5, which had a module that added a camera grip with hardware controls and one that had a hi-fi DAC and enhanced speakers and neither of them required a screwdriver. The G5 failed.

It feels like just the choice to make a modular phone completely exhausts a company's creativity. None of them ever make bold choices with their modules. Make a module with a slide-down hardware keyboard. Make a module with Flitchio-style gaming controls on the back. Make one with big dual front-facing speakers. Either take risks or don't.

Calling this “modular” is a bit of a stretch. It’s “modular” only for the case. There is nothing else that’s easily replaceable — not even the battery. It is not anything like what Fairphone [1] makes, which is truly modular and focuses on swapping parts as needed.

However, CMF Phone 1 will be available in many countries around the world, unlike Fairphone, which seems to be available only in several European countries.

CMF Phone 1 is also quite cheap, and may be a decent “starter phone” (reviews praise the stock Android plus a few niceties that Nothing OS adds without a full blown skin like other Android OEMs).

[1]: https://www.fairphone.com/

I wish an OEM could commit to having good LineageOS or GSI support so when they stop official updates users have something to fall back on.

Not bad at all for 200 bucks. Could use this as a backup phone.

Disappointing. Hoped modular means I can attach a sliding keyboard.