India, April 29 -- UK-based startup Nothing's sub-brand CMF has launched its second smartphone in India - the CMF Phone 2 Pro - less than a year after introducing the CMF Phone 1 in July 2024. Targeting the price-conscious youth in the under Rs.20,000 segment, CMF's first offering stood out with its fresh design and premium NothingOS experience.

At the global launch event in New Delhi, Nothing CEO Carl Pei - best known for co-founding OnePlus - outlined a strategy focused around software features to excite users instead of hardware specifications. Interestingly, Pei wants to ban the use of the word "AI" in his startup and "play it safe", given the market uncertainties. Here are key excerpts from a quick conversation Carl Pei had with HT ...