The modules on display don't seem to be a strong showing. A wallet case? Kickstand? Lanyard? These are things you can add to any phone with a $10 Amazon purchase. Compare this to the LG G5, which had a module that added a camera grip with hardware controls and one that had a hi-fi DAC and enhanced speakers and neither of them required a screwdriver. The G5 failed.

It feels like just the choice to make a modular phone completely exhausts a company's creativity. None of them ever make bold choices with their modules. Make a module with a slide-down hardware keyboard. Make a module with Flitchio-style gaming controls on the back. Make one with big dual front-facing speakers. Either take risks or don't.

I wish an OEM could commit to having good LineageOS or GSI support so when they stop official updates users have something to fall back on.

Calling this “modular” is a bit of a stretch. It’s “modular” only for the case. There is nothing else that’s easily replaceable — not even the battery. It is not anything like what Fairphone [1] makes, which is truly modular and focuses on swapping parts as needed.

However, CMF Phone 1 will be available in many countries around the world, unlike Fairphone, which seems to be available only in several European countries.

CMF Phone 1 is also quite cheap, and may be a decent “starter phone” (reviews praise the stock Android plus a few niceties that Nothing OS adds without a full blown skin like other Android OEMs).

[1]: https://www.fairphone.com/

Not bad at all for 200 bucks. Could use this as a backup phone.

Disappointing. Hoped modular means I can attach a sliding keyboard.