What you need to know
- Nothing’s co-founder, Akis Evangelidis, said on X that CMF will not produce a Phone 3 Pro this year as RAM prices skyrocket.
- The company says it cannot build a true successor that feels “like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense” for the CMF title.
- Nothing’s CEO, Carl Pei, has made similar statements in the past about how higher RAM (thanks to AI) can hamper smartphones and back consumers into a corner, and he’s done so again alongside Evangelidis.
Early this morning (June 19), Nothing’s co-founder wanted to get transparent about CMF’s phone line, as consumers question a Pro successor.
Co-founder Akis Evangelidis on X led off with CMF Phone 2 Pro praise. CMF is the company’s budget line, and the device was reportedly well received. However, consumers have been wondering about a successor, a would-be CMF Phone 3 Pro, and Evangelidis says that’s not happening in 2026. He says, “We were working on a successor, but with memory prices where they are right now, we can’t build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense for CMF.”
Evangelidis adds, “As a result, we’ve decided not to launch a new CMF phone this year.”
Staying true to CMF’s branding is key for Nothing. Their post stresses that they wouldn’t want to produce something they’re “not proud of,” rather than making something to make something. CMF focuses on budget, but it can’t stick to those ideals if RAM prices force it to raise its cost for consumers. It looks like Nothing’s co-founder is placing the blame squarely on the toll the RAM shortage is taking on the smartphone industry, and Nothing’s CEO, Carl Pei, built on that narrative.
Pei leads off strong, stating, “Memory is now the most expensive component in a smartphone.” According to his data, RAM accounts for 50% of the phone’s hardware bill. He states RAM prices doubled when the Phone 4a launched in March, and now they’ve “doubled again since.” Pei adds that the rate at which RAM prices have shot up is exceeding his previous expectations, and that next year could see even higher phone prices as a result.
A conscious decision
The timing of Nothing’s transparency is a little unfortunate, considering we were just going over (alleged) CMF Phone 3 Pro leaks late last month. Those rumors said the next Pro edition was “delayed,” but was still on the way, as details supposedly emerged. What surfaced was a budget phone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, not MediaTek’s Dimensity line. Additionally, rumors said Nothing could boost the phone with a 5,400 or 5,500mAh battery and a 50MP camera.
However, it looks like we’ll have to officially put these rumors to rest since Nothing’s co-founder has come forward with a statement.
Interestingly, Evangelidis says while CMF is still working on “several new products” this year (just probably not a phone), the main Nothing line has “more to come,” too. So far, we’ve seen rumors about a Nothing Ear 3a in the works, but it sounds like there’s more in the pipeline, as Carl Pei said he was going to steal Apple’s customers, “one bored iPhone user at a time.”
Android Central’s Take
CMF by Nothing, or rather CMF these days, positioned itself as a budget line that doesn’t feel like a drastic compromise for consumers. It’s a brand that’s been well received by consumers, and Nothing isn’t keen on breaking that. If you’ve been accustomed to a device that’s affordable (whatever that means to you), and then prices soar by 50% or more, all of a sudden, you’re not biting. It probably sucks not to deliver another with so many people expecting it, but this is a decision based on the market’s climate.