I really love the design of the CMF Phone—even more than the Nothing Phone. (Honestly, Nothing’s light strip design and the Phone (3) Pro’s camera layout which just blends in with other brands’ styles—don’t appeal to me) The CMF Phone has the potential to"outshine the Nothing Phone not just in price but in brand identity."I truly believe that.
WE NEED PERSONALIZED CUSTOMIZATION!
It’s a real shame that thePhone (2) Pro model abandoned the removable back panel/cover design, which is the complete opposite of customization. I don’t think a phone is more likely to fall into water than onto the ground. Once the back panel gets scratched, I can’t just replace it cheaply—I’m stuck with the damage. And this change was madejust for a minor improvement in waterproofing? Did the developers’ phones short-circuit in London rain or something? I hope the next CMF Phone returns to the Gen 1 design.
ZERO-INTRUSION DISPLAY
The CMF Phone’s back panel is incredibly unique, standing out in a sea of generic designs. But the front? Still the same old thing. It might sound odd in the era of bezel-less screens, but yes—I’m talking about the front camera cutout. As someone who barely takes selfies or photos, a pointless hole punch on an otherwise flawless display is an eyesore. (This is why I loved theOnePlus 7 Pro so much.)
So, here’s my proposal: Give the rear camera a mechanical transformation feature.Use a manual sliding mechanism to move the camera module to the edge of the phone, then manually rotate it to the front. This kills two birds with one stone—no more hole punch, yet selfie functionality remains. Sure, manual operation isn’t as convenient as motorized pop-up cameras, but it saves precious internal space and reduces cost. Think of it like driving a manual transmission car, wearing a mechanical watch, or using a Winchester lever-action—manual camera adjustment could be retro-hardcore cool.
I get that mechanical parts might wear out, but there’s a better solution:
MODULAR CAMERA, INSTANT UPGRADES
I know theMoto Z failed commercially, but that’s because it wasn’t executed well—unclear positioning, mediocre cameras that couldn’t compete with real cameras, and sky-high prices. The solution? Let users choose the camera module they actually need:
- Asingle-lens
- Standard multi-camera module
- Including potentially developing a premium camera module more expensive than the phone body (with crucial lessons from Moto Z: never try to compete with professional cameras or anticipate good sales—we might simply skip this)
We don’t need magnetic attachments—screw mounting is more secure and reliable, better suited for low-frequency module swaps. The current approach of including lens accessories is nice,but flawed: lenses get dirty too easily, and there’s no official storage solution. The fix is simple—just include a compact case with a short lanyard. However, I simply can’t accept that white add-on backplate which sacrifices so much potential. For such a basic solution, I’d actually support magnetic mounting instead.
- Standard multi-camera module (compatible with magnetic accessories)
And then? With this modular interface, the possibilities expand—but must stay market-driven:
-Add-on batteries, but leave room for aPhone Cooling Clip and supportbypass charging.
- Skip speaker modules—just use Bluetooth audio.
At launch,let users assemble their own modules setup. If this shaves even a little off the price, I doubt any buyer would complain.
That’s all. I just hope CMF Phone doesn’t end up as generic as every other phone—andloses that damn hole punch.
