Nothing spins off CMF as standalone Indian business
Smartphone manufacturer Nothing is spinning off its CMF sub-brand to operate as an independent Indian company, aiming to bolster the country's manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
Smartphone manufacturer Nothing has announced the spin-off of its CMF sub-brand into an independent Indian company. The move aims to leverage India's expanding manufacturing sector and domestic market to build globally competitive consumer electronics companies within the country.
CMF will now operate as a standalone Indian entity, with majority Indian ownership and its headquarters based in India. Nothing will retain a stake in CMF and continue as a partner. Co-founder and CEO Carl Pei highlighted India's strong manufacturing base and large smartphone market, noting a lack of brands to drive engineering demand.
The separation is intended to strengthen local engineering capabilities, as much of the product development and intellectual property for smartphones sold in India currently remains overseas. Pei drew parallels with China, where local brands invested in R&D, fostering a deeper supplier ecosystem.
Launched by Nothing in 2023, CMF offers more affordable, design-led consumer electronics. The brand is now evolving from a product line into its own company, bringing Nothing's existing design capabilities, operating system, and supplier relationships. The long-term goal is to scale CMF to 100 million phones annually, enabling the development of its own supply chain and engineering ecosystem.