Nextbit's cloud-savvy Robin phone is set to fly. Good luck catching one - CNET

Nextbit isn't the typical unknown startup. Co-founders Tom Moss and Mike Chan were part of Google's original Android team. Croyle was behind the critically acclaimed HTC One phone.

Nextbit plans to ship the first batch of Robin phones to early Kickstarter backers on Tuesday. The online site that will sell the phone to the public is scheduled to open at 7 a.m. PT next Friday. In addition to the phone, the site will offer three kinds of cases, as well as screen protectors and custom power cables. (The Robin uses a new USB Type-C port, rather than the more common micro-USB cable.)

Nextbit's new Robin smartphone flies to the...

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The company blames the limited initial supply on the Chinese New Year holiday, which kicked off Monday and lasts through Saturday. If the phone sells out, the company said it will provide updates on when the next batch will arrive.

Robin is among a new crop of affordable phones packing competitive components like camera and memory. At $399, it offers an alteative to the far more expensive iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S6, which start at $650. Its standout feature is the ability to access the cloud for 100 gigabytes of storage beyond the inteal 32GB provided.

Nextbit, meanwhile, is one of a growing number of companies looking to build a relationship with you by selling its phones without a carrier middleman. Companies including Chinese handset makers ZTE and Alcatel OneTouch have set up websites to sell their phones, and even Motorola, a unit of Lenovo, has opted to sell its flagship phone online.

"Going direct-to-consumer allows us to have that authentic conversation," Croyle said.

The business model also allows Nextbit to shave costs associated with working with a carrier, such as Verizon or AT&T, including promotional expenses and the resources needed to get through their testing processes. Those savings are partly why the Robin phone is priced below other flagship phones.