The CMF Phone 1 Allows Users to Change the Back Cover, So Some People Are Doing Really Cool Things With Their 3D Printers

The CMF Phone 1 was a breath of fresh air in the smartphone industry. The sector has reached such a point of maturity that it’s challenging to find innovation in terms of design. That’s why, from time to time, users are grateful when a brand goes for something different. In the case of CMF, the Nothing sub-brand, that bet is a return to the past with a twist: a phone with a removable back cover. And, of course, the community has already started inventing ways to expand the customization options.

Tell me about the cover. The CMF Phone 1 is a device starting at $199 that combines plastic and aluminum. The back cover is plastic, the keypad and camera module are aluminum, and the screws that attach the cover to the chassis are stainless steel. By removing the screws (four, to be exact), you can change the back cover and add a different color to customize the smartphone.

Good old days. Gone are the days when you could remove the back cover and replace it with another one of any color or themes. I remember my LG G3, which I covered with a 6,000 mAh battery. Or those BlackBerry 8520s that everyone in my high school had. Some people used to buy back covers and resell them on the courtyard. Rare was the person who had an uncustomized BlackBerry.

However, the industry would soon strive to make phones thinner, sleeker, and water- and dust-resistant, as well as with more premium materials. As such, it decided to get rid of the removable cover. This change increased the “premium feel” of the smartphones but reduced customization to two things: the color of the device and the case. And the funny thing is, you can choose the color of the back or the color of the case, but you can’t do both. The case covers the back unless it’s transparent, in which case it will probably turn yellow over time.

Removable back cover = customizable back cover. That’s why it’s nice when a brand occasionally gives users room to personalize their smartphones. In the case of the CMF Phone 1, the maker community was quick to create their back covers, each more extravagant than the last. The company, aware of what a community can do in terms of brand recognition, has encouraged the customization of its device’s back covers by sharing the STL and STP files on Printables (Prusa’s repository) under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Anyone can take these files and print their cover. Also, due to the license, anyone can use these files as a base to create their designs, even on a commercial basis (as long as they remove the brand name, of course).

And users got to work. On Printables, you can find back covers of all kinds, from some custom Pokémon proposals to a stand for using the phone vertically. There’s also one inspired by the Mac Pro, a wallet, a fidget spinner on the screw in the bottom right corner, and a mount for putting the phone on an IKEA Skadis pegboard.

On MakerWorld (BambuLab’s repository), there are also some crazy back covers, such as a replica of Motorola’s Dynatac 8000x that even stores the charger, a case compatible with LEGO parts, and one with a lid to cover the camera. There’s also one with a built-in fan, a case with a dart launcher, and one with a camera mount. My favorite back covers are a Connect Four game and its tiles, one with a modular sliding system, a case with a comb, a coin holder, a microSD card slot, and a bottle opener.

The problem: the 3D printer. It’s obvious. That’s all good, but it’s useless if you don’t have a 3D printer to print the back covers. In addition, those with moving parts require a machine with well-measured tolerances. If you’re talking about multi-color printing, although you can do it with a single machine if you’re patient, the truth is that a module like the AMS Lite from BambuLab would come in handy. Still, we’re already talking about a minimum investment of $550. Plus, the 3D printing filament, of course.

Image | CMF Phone 1

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