One of the standout features of Nothing’s CMF product line is its modular design. This means you can easily detach and replace components at your discretion. For instance, with the CMF Watch Pro 2, you have the option to change not just the bands but also the bezels.
The CMF Phone 1 took modularity a step further, enabling users to add accessories quickly via an external screw system. This feature allowed for the complete removal of the back, permitting the use of just about any replacement you could find. This innovation sparked a flourishing 3D-printed marketplace on platforms like Etsy, making the CMF Phone 1 one of the most exciting phone launches of 2024.
However, the CMF Phone 2 Pro presents a different approach—one I discovered only after unboxing. As I attempted to unscrew and pry off the back, I encountered unexpected resistance. Given the original phone’s back design was already challenging to remove, I was prepared for a bit of a struggle, but I did not anticipate the plastic cracking midway through the process.
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After discussing with my Nothing PR contact, I learned that the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s back is not intended to be removable like the CMF Phone 1. Reviewing the specifications, it’s evident this was a strategic move to enhance the phone’s ingress protection (IP) rating, improving it from IP52 on the CMF Phone 1 to IP54 on the CMF Phone 2. The latter’s rating means it can now endure water splashes from any direction, whereas the Phone 1 could only resist water drops from angles up to 15 degrees.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that I now possess a CMF Phone 2 Pro with a damaged back and the need to order a replacement part.
Step on a crack
Rather than the notoriously tricky removable back of its predecessor—popular among users for its challenging design—Nothing opted for a “Universal cover” approach in the CMF Phone 2 Pro. This cover utilizes all five screws to affix itself to the phone’s rear, also allowing the use of MagSafe accessories and various other official CMF magnetic add-ons. Additionally, it enables users to snap extra lenses onto the cameras.
The issue is, as users have discovered, that this case is difficult to find immediately post-launch, and U.S. beta program participants seem to lack access altogether. In fact, Nothing specifically told me that these accessories are “only available on Nothing.tech in Europe + UK with limited qty.”
This essentially leaves the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s fate in the hands of Etsy and the 3D printing community, since Nothing appears to be slow in providing accessories for this model. While I am somewhat comfortable with the idea, considering the community’s past successes, it’s disheartening that such a significant design alteration has occurred without adequate support for the product at launch.
A valuable lesson: refrain from removing the back of your CMF Phone 2 Pro unless a replacement is readily available. This semi-modular phone will undoubtedly shine once accessory developers ramp up and introduce new offerings for it. For now, however, it remains an incredible value for a sub-$300 device, likely to surpass any expectations you may have regarding its capabilities.