Nothing makes CMF an Indian company, targets 100M phones
What's the story
Nothing, the consumer electronics brand founded by Carl Pei, is spinning off its CMF sub-brand into a separate entity in India. The move is part of Nothing's strategy to establish a locally-owned and operated consumer electronics business with strong engineering and R&D capabilities. The new company will be headquartered in India and will have its own team and R&D operations here.
Strategic shift
'Owned in India, run from India, engineered in India'
Pei has said that the separation of CMF is a strategic move to create a company that's "owned in India, run from India, engineered in India."
The new entity will leverage Nothing's existing capabilities such as its operating system, industrial design, supplier relationships, and product engineering expertise.
Pei stressed that Nothing OS is developed in-house and they work directly with suppliers for components like displays, chipsets, and camera modules.
Market potential
Pei sees potential for global electronics brand in India
Pei believes that India has the manufacturing capacity, consumer market, and engineering talent to support the rise of a global consumer electronics brand.
However, he also noted that there is no major home-grown electronics brand with a strong global presence.
He said, "India is next," and emphasized that the next phase of India's electronics industry should focus on product engineering and R&D.
Growth strategy
Ambitious target of 100 million phones annually
Pei has set an ambitious target for CMF, aiming to produce 100 million phones annually.
He said this scale is where a smartphone company can start impacting the broader supply chain.
The long-term goal isn't just to sell products in India but also to design them here and use India as a launchpad for global expansion.