One of the main features of the CMF Phone 1 by Nothing is the removable back cover. One might expect that this would have a positive effect on the gadget’s repairability. Disassembling the smartphone showed that this is not the case — some components, including the battery, are difficult to access due to hidden screws.
Image source: PBKreviews/YouTube
The popular YouTube channel PBKreviews, which specializes in disassembling and assessing the repairability of electronic devices, has published a video with a detailed analysis of the CMF Phone 1 smartphone. Despite the manufacturer’s stated “modular design”, the device received an ambiguous assessment from the expert.
The channel’s host began the disassembly with the back panel, which, unlike most modern smartphones, is secured with four flat-head screws and one large screw, dubbed by the manufacturer as an “Accessory Point.” Once the screws are removed, the plastic cover can be easily removed with a special tool.
Under the cover, a battery was found, protected by a thin layer of plastic. However, the expert warns that removing this protective layer will void the warranty and does not recommend removing the protection.
The next step was to remove 12 Phillips screws, also protected by special stickers indicating that the device had been tampered with. The upper part of the rear plastic cover contains protective glass for the cameras and antenna.
Next, the expert got to the motherboard, which houses the main and front cameras, the hardware platform, RAM and flash memory, and sensors. However, even at this stage, removing the battery was not easy due to the hidden screw under the Accessory Point mount.
Image source: PBKreviews/YouTube
Despite the declared modular design, the Nothing CMF Phone 1 smartphone received a repairability rating of 6.5 out of 10 points. The expert named the main disadvantages as the difficulty of removing the battery due to a hidden screw, as well as the more labor-intensive process of removing the plastic covers over the motherboard and speaker unit compared to other smartphones.
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