Nothing Pulls CMF Phone 2 Pro as DRAM Crisis Hits Budget Smartphones
The CMF Phone 2 Pro has quietly disappeared from Nothing’s official lineup, and fans hoping for a new affordable CMF smartphone in 2026 may be disappointed. The company has confirmed that a successor is not currently planned, mainly because of the ongoing DRAM and NAND storage price surge affecting the smartphone industry.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro was one of the more compelling budget-friendly smartphones of last year. Priced at $279, it offered features that are usually difficult to find in its category, including a 120Hz AMOLED display, a 50MP telephoto camera, and MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset. For buyers looking for strong specs without flagship pricing, it was an attractive option.
However, the rising cost of memory components has changed the equation. RAM and flash storage are essential parts of every smartphone, but they make up a larger portion of the total cost in cheaper devices. That means budget phones are often hit hardest when memory prices climb.
Nothing appears to have decided that keeping the CMF Phone 2 Pro in its official catalog no longer makes sense under current market conditions. While the device may still be available through some third-party retailers, it is no longer listed on the company’s own website.
Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis confirmed that there will be no new CMF Phone launching in 2026. According to the company’s position, a follow-up model had been in development, but the current DRAM and NAND pricing environment makes it difficult to release a meaningful upgrade while keeping the price low enough for the CMF brand.
That is a major challenge for a sub-brand built around affordability. A successor would need to offer better hardware than the CMF Phone 2 Pro, but higher memory costs would either force a price increase or require compromises in key specifications. Neither option fits well with the value-focused identity of the CMF lineup.
Instead of pushing ahead with a new CMF smartphone, Nothing plans to shift attention toward other CMF product categories. These upcoming products are expected to be less affected by the memory supply crunch, giving the company more flexibility to maintain competitive pricing.
Importantly, this change only affects CMF Phones. Nothing’s main smartphone lineup is not being paused in the same way. Higher-priced Nothing Phones have more room to absorb increased component costs, either through modest price adjustments or different hardware choices. Budget devices, by contrast, have much tighter margins.
The broader issue is that the DRAM crisis may not be a short-term problem. Industry conditions suggest elevated memory prices could continue for several years, which may put pressure on many affordable smartphones, not just CMF models.
For consumers, this could make last year’s mid-range phones more appealing than upcoming budget releases. If prices continue to rise, newer affordable smartphones may offer fewer upgrades, higher prices, or both.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro now stands as an example of how global component shortages and rising memory prices can directly affect what shoppers see on store shelves. It also shows how difficult it has become for brands to deliver powerful, low-cost smartphones in a market where essential components are getting more expensive.
