Nothing reveals the CMF Phone 1’s biggest unique gimmick

Smartphone maker Nothing has been building up anticipation for its upcoming budget phone, the CMF Phone 1, by teasing one feature at a time.

Nothing’s sub-brand CMF is set to launch its first smartphone. This budget Android device, called the CMF Phone 1, is scheduled for release on July 8.

Unlike the other phones under the Nothing brand that feature see-through designs and Glyph LED light interfaces, the CMF phone introduces a mechanism to screw in additional accessories.

Nothing describes this design as “an engineer’s aesthetic,” with the phone sporting a boxy shape and various exposed screws on the back. According to the brand, the larger screw allows for attaching a lanyard, while the smaller ones secure the rear panel.

Another tweet from Nothing showcases snap-on rear panels in black, orange, blue, and light green colors, suggesting that the Phone 1’s back panel is user-swappable.

In one of the initial tweets, an orange-colored kickstand accessory is shown attached to a blue phone, while an orange phone features a bulky accessory screwed in. This could be a wallet for holding cards or a portable battery pack, though that hasn’t been confirmed.

A flathead screwdriver with a pin-ejector tool on the opposite end is prominently featured in most teasers. At a time when phone makers are looking for reasons to remove chargers from retail boxes, it will be interesting to see what accessories the CMF Phone 1 includes.

However, this isn’t a brand’s first experiment with a customizable design. We’ve seen Motorola phones with Moto Mods, and the LG G5 had a full range of add-on accessories called LG Friends.

Even the Xiaomi 14 Ultra offers an optional photography kit that transforms the phone into a compact camera when needed. However, these experiments were either short-lived or too niche for the average user.

While the removable rear panel is likely designed for cosmetic upgrades, it’s unlikely that removing it will expose internals like batteries and other components for easy repairability. In any case, we won’t have to wait long, as the phone launches next week.