Nothing Cancels CMF Phone Launch for 2026, Blames Surging RAM Prices

Nothing has confirmed that it will not launch a new CMF smartphone this year, with the company pointing to skyrocketing memory prices as the primary reason behind the decision.

The announcement was made by Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis, who revealed that the company had been working on a successor to the CMF Phone 2 Pro but ultimately decided not to release it. According to Evangelidis, rising RAM costs made it impossible to deliver a meaningful upgrade while maintaining the affordable pricing that the CMF brand is known for.

"We were working on a successor, but with memory prices where they are right now, we can't build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense for CMF," Evangelidis said.

RAM Has Become the Most Expensive Smartphone Component

The decision follows recent warnings from Nothing CEO Carl Pei, who has repeatedly highlighted the impact of the ongoing memory shortage on smartphone pricing. According to Pei, RAM has now become the most expensive component inside a smartphone, surpassing even processors and displays in some cases. He previously revealed that memory costs for the company's Phone 4A doubled during development and then doubled again after launch.

Pei has also warned that smartphone prices are likely to continue rising through next year as manufacturers struggle with constrained memory supplies and increasing demand from AI infrastructure providers.

Why CMF Was Hit Harder

The cancellation highlights a growing challenge for budget smartphone brands. Unlike flagship devices, where manufacturers have more room to absorb component cost increases, affordable phones operate on thinner margins. A significant rise in RAM prices can quickly make a budget handset either unprofitable or too expensive for its target audience.

CMF, Nothing's budget-focused sub-brand, was created to offer design-led products at accessible prices. The CMF Phone 2 Pro, launched last year, received positive reviews for delivering premium features without a flagship price tag.

However, Evangelidis suggested that releasing a new phone with only minor upgrades or a substantially higher price would go against the brand's philosophy.

No New CMF Phone, But More Products Are Coming

While smartphone fans may be disappointed, Nothing says the CMF brand is not going quiet. Evangelidis hinted that several new CMF products are still in development, including entries in entirely new categories. He also suggested that Nothing's smartphone launch season is not over, indicating that future announcements from the main Nothing brand are still on the horizon.

A Warning Sign for the Industry

Nothing's decision could be one of the clearest examples yet of how the global memory crunch is affecting consumer technology. For years, smartphone buyers have become accustomed to getting more RAM, better cameras, and faster processors without dramatic price increases. That trend may now be under pressure as AI companies consume increasing amounts of high-performance memory for data centres and AI training infrastructure.