Nothing has shelved plans for a new budget phone in its CMF series this year, blaming a sharp spike in RAM prices that makes a meaningful upgrade financially unviable. The decision, confirmed by co-founder Akis Evangelidis, marks the first time in the brand's history it will skip a yearly update in its value-oriented lineup.
The move underscores a broader industry challenge as global memory costs continue to climb, squeezing margins for low-cost smartphones. Evangelidis explained on X that while a successor to the CMF Phone 2 Pro was being developed, current memory prices prevent the company from building a device that feels like 'a genuine step forward' at a CMF-appropriate price point.
CEO and co-founder Carl Pei previously indicated the memory crunch is also hitting Nothing's mid-range models, noting that 'for Phone 4A, memory costs doubled between' two unspecified periods. The CMF series, which has released only two models so far, was conceived as a no-frills sub-brand focused on essential features. Consumers looking for a cheap Nothing handset will now have to wait until at least 2027 for a third CMF release.
No other Nothing phone launches have been delayed, and the company's flagship lineup appears unaffected. For now, the brand will concentrate on its main product line, which occupies higher price brackets where component cost increases can be more easily absorbed. Analysts say the RAM market could remain elevated for several more quarters, potentially impacting other budget phone makers as well.