It didn’t take long for Nothing to establish itself in the smartphone industry. The brand even felt confident to launch a more affordable sub-brand called CMF by Nothing. Now, Nothing is ready to let its baby boy grow up. CMF by Nothing is branching off into its own independent brand soon.

As reported by TechCrunch, Nothing has confirmed that CMF will become an independent subsidiary soon. The brand is partnering with an Indian company called Optiemus to establish a headquarters for manufacturing and research in India.

The choice of market isn’t surprising. Compared to the original brand, CMF by Nothing caters more to the budget-conscious crowd while upholding Nothing’s penchant for quirky designs. The affordable segment continues to be a big hit in India. Nothing, as a brand, is also popular in the country.

It’s an impressive story for CMF. The small brand started only around two years ago in 2023. Since then, it launched earbuds, smartwatches, and smartphones — all of which appeal to the budget-conscious. By branching off on its own, the brand has a chance to establish its own identity apart from its parent company.

Though CMF’s independence is certainly a quick one, the phenomenon isn’t uncommon. Various companies have also done the same with their own sub-brands. For example, HONOR, POCO, and realme have spun off from Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO, respectively.

SEE ALSO: CMF Phone 2 Pro review: Only a small step from its predecessor

DITO Telecommunity is pushing forward with a bold message: fast, reliable, and accessible connectivity should already be the norm.

At its recent Kaya DITO campaign launch in BGC, the country’s fastest-growing telco showed how its ecosystem of services is built to meet the digital aspirations of every Filipino.

Prepaid that doesn’t waste your data

DITO’s Level-Up Packs were designed to take the stress out of prepaid.

With ViLTE tech, subscribers get unlimited HD video calls between DITO users, plus unli mobile calls, bundled Viber, Prime Video, and flexible data that lasts longer.

Postpaid that actually makes sense

With DITO FlexPlan 888, postpaid is made practical. For less than a thousand pesos a month, subscribers can choose SIM-only or device-bundled plans with generous data inclusions.

It proves that having a premium postpaid experience doesn’t have to break the bank.

WiFi that keeps the whole household connected

DITO WoWFi Pro 365 makes home internet simple. Think of it as a worry-free, year-long unlimited connection with no complicated installations and constant top-ups.

Just reliable WiFi for work, study, and streaming when you need it.

Everything you need in one app

The DITO App is one of the most complete telco apps available, giving subscribers full control of their digital life.

From buying SIMs and load to managing accounts, rewards, and even OTT apps, the experience is built around convenience. Add 24/7 support and exclusive perks, and the app becomes a one-stop hub for all things DITO.

True 5G built differently

Unlike other networks built on old systems, DITO made the call early to go all-in on 5G Standalone.

That means faster speeds, lower latency, and a network that can keep up with how Filipinos live today.

Opensignal has already recognized DITO as the Philippines’ fastest network, proving that the foundation they built is paying off.

NTT DATA Payment Services has officially launched ADAPTIS, a suite of integrated payment solutions, in the Philippines.

The launch in the Philippines follows successful rollouts in Malaysia and Thailand, just as Japan-based NTT DATA Group continues to expand and deliver inclusive, scalable, and locally relevant payment innovations across Southeast Asia.

NTT DATA Group CEO Sean Hesh mentioned that the Philippine economy’s growth and further potential factored in the company introducing ADAPTIS to the market.

The ADAPTIS suite of integrated payment solutions includes five core B2B offerings for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs):

• ADAPTIS In-Store (for seamless retail transactions)
• ADAPTIS e-Commerce (for secure online payments)
• ADAPTIS Financing (to support business growth)
• ADAPTIS Enterprise (for scalable payment infrastructure)
• ADAPTIS Value-Added Services (to optimize business operations)

One of the popular offerings is simply providing businesses with Point of Sale (POS) terminals.

These terminals support Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and BancNet cards, as well as QRPh, GCash, GrabPay, ShopeePay, Alipay, and Alipay+ payments.

For businesses that are online in nature, ADAPTIS e-Commerce provides a platform to ensure online transactions are secure.

Apple Pay, Google Pay support

Moreover, ADAPTIS POS terminals support Apple Pay and Google Pay. So long as these terminals have tap-to-pay capability and customers’ smartphones have NFC, transactions done via the aforementioned digital wallets can push through.

Of course, in the Philippines, being able to use Apple Pay and Google Pay will ultimately just depend on which banks, cards, or e-wallets can be linked to these digital wallets.

Solutions for businesses’ loyalty programs

Beyond these common offerings, the ADAPTIS suite also supports businesses through other services, like loyalty programs.

One client that has already been using ADAPTIS is Krispy Kreme, through their OG Card loyalty program.

NTT DATA Payment Services said when it comes to setups like this, the company provides hardware that can be rented or bought by their clients.

Meanwhile, the technology inside the physical terminals where customers scan their loyalty cards, as in the case of Krispy Kreme, is also provided by NTT DATA through their in-house team of developers.

These scalable solutions can benefit businesses of various kinds, from restaurants to clothing to services and more.

In fact, the company said a petroleum chain within Southeast Asia has also tapped this ADAPTIS service for its own loyalty program.

Providing businesses with a partner

NTT DATA Group further mentioned that adaptability and versatility are some of their key selling points.

For instance, they can provide a product selection for businesses that do not need physical POS terminals but rather just solutions for mobile phones.

The company also takes pride in being committed to providing training and upskilling for clients to ensure those who avail their services will actually advance electronification.

NTT DATA Philippines CEO Jay Tirona pointed out that switching to a digital or cashless system also unlocks a client’s digital footprint and may improve their credit score and standing in the future, opening the possibility for further support.

The Philippines launch marks another step forward in NTT DATA Payment Services’ regional transformation journey.

In 2024, NTT DATA Japan acquired GHL Systems Berhad and rebranded to NTT DATA Payment Services, consolidating its position as a leading digital payments provider across Asia.