Mobile Technology

Android founder's The Essential Phone combines top features in a bold-yet-simple way

Android founder's The Essential Phone combines top features in a bold-yet-simple way
The Essential Phone, Android creator Andy Rubin's latest brainchild
The Essential Phone, Android creator Andy Rubin's latest brainchild
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The Essential Phone, Android creator Andy Rubin's latest brainchild
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The Essential Phone, Android creator Andy Rubin's latest brainchild
Camera in action
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Camera in action
The Essential Phone's modular 360-degree camera accessory
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The Essential Phone's modular 360-degree camera accessory
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Andy Rubin was one of the co-founders of Android, Inc., the company behind the software that has since become the most popular operating system in the world. Rubin's latest brainchild is the Essential Phone, a smartphone that seems to echo the industry's larger trends while at the same time promising an iconoclastic approach.

At first glance, the phone is impressive, and more or less fits in with its top-of-the-line competitors. Its 5.7-inch virtually bezel-free display, with 2,560 x 1,312 pixel resolution, takes an obvious cue from the Samsung Galaxy S8 series. Unlike those phones, which have performed poorly in drop tests, the Essential Phone is made out of titanium and ceramic that Essential insists can survive a fall better than its aluminum and glass counterparts.

Camera in action
Camera in action

The Essential Phone has capable internals, including the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage. It has an 8 GB front (selfie) camera and a 13 MP dual-lens rear shooter. In this instance, the dual-lens camera combines RGB and monochrome cameras, as seen in Huawei phones like the P10.

The Essential Phone also has the groundwork for a modular accessory ecosystem. There is a magnetic strip at the upper back of the phone with wireless data transfer. Alongside the phone, Essential has announced a pocket-sized 360-degree camera (sold separately) that magnetically snaps onto the phone – similar to the modularity seen in the Moto Z. There's also a magnetic charging dock accessory.

The Essential Phone's modular 360-degree camera accessory
The Essential Phone's modular 360-degree camera accessory

A closer look does reveal some omissions. The phone not water resistant; it's also missing the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Also missing is any logo or branding: "Devices are your personal property. We won't force you to have anything on them you don't want to have," Rubin wrote in a blog post.

Apart from this assertion, Rubin has identified a number of other Essential goals, which include "Devices shouldn't become outdated every year. They should evolve with you," and "Simple is always better." These represent a refreshing alternative to the bells-and-whistles approach to premium (though without upgradeable components like processor and display, the "outdated" part is never going to completely go away), and simplicity is one of the factors that made us appreciate Google's Pixel and Pixel XL phones so much.

The Essential Phone will run Android, but the version of the operating system has yet to be announced. Considering Essential's priorities, we assume it will probably run the latest version, but it will be interesting to see how the OS is skinned or altered to suit the Essential vision.

The Essential Phone can be reserved now on the company's website for US$699. Black and white color variants are available now, with gray and teal options expected later on. For a limited time, the 360-degree camera accessory is available for $50 (a $150 discount from its $200 full retail price).

Source: Essential

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4 comments
4 comments
LianChousin
It would be really good to have a phone that provides functionality but doesn't breech your privacy. It would be good to have a phone that is just a phone.
I've got several android devices and I wont be buying any more. Between the data slurping of Microsoft, Android, Google and Apple, I've had more than enough.
Jerry
Another high priced wonder!
Gregg Eshelman
It doesn't have features I consider essential. A physical Home button and fixed position touch control spots that software cannot move around.
There's no mention of a memory card slot. That's another essential.
The phone industry needs to stop ignoring that waterproof headphone jacks exist. How about a magnetic clip on headphone jack? Have it work just like the magsafe power connectors Apple touted as the best thing ever, before abandoning it to yet again de-port their latest laptops.
Then people who want a phone jack can have one, and if their cord gets yanked the jack can pop off instead dragging the phone out of their pocket and onto the ground.
And yet again, no physical keyboard. Phone makers say they quit making those because they didn't sell well. But they didn't sell well because the phone makers refused to combine keyboards with the *best* features they put on phones without keyboards. Keyboard phones were always saddled with lower resolution displays, slower CPUs, less RAM and omissions of other things.
Tanstar
Very odd to brag about being drop proof and then ignore waterproofing.