Andy Rubin, the creator of Android, is back with a new and ambitious smartphone. Meet the Essential Phone PH-1.
The new device sports an edge-to-edge screen similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8, but tops it because it stretches up even to the top of the display. The only side where there’s significant bezel is at the bottom, which is probably required to have space for the components inside.
Even though it definitely looks gorgeous, the front facing camera isn’t really pleasing to look at. Unfortunately, there’s really not much they can do unless they remove it altogether.
Like every other flagship Android smartphone today, the Essential Phone packs top of the line hardware. It features a powerful Snapdragon 835 CPU combined with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.
Essential wants to take unnecessary hardware and software out of the picture, so it makes sense to that there’s no bloatware on this device. We’re still not sure, but having no logo on the handset looks like a pretty good indication.
The company also claims that the Essential Phone PH-1 can survive a drop test because it’s made up of ceramic and titanium.
Aside from the device itself, Essential is banking on an ecosystem of accessories to lift it up. A magnetic connector, 360-degree camera, and a charging dock are just some of the accessories that would support the phone upon launch.
Essential has also removed the 3.5mm headphone jack just like in the iPhone. Instead, the PH-1 will ship with a headphone dongle in the package.
The Essential Phone PH-1’s dual camera configuration is unlike conventional setups. The second sensor is monochrome, instead of the typical use for bokeh shots – a similar implementation to Huawei’s P10. In combination with the 13-megapixel main sensor, it can take significantly better low-light shots. It’s not just the rear sensor, as the 8-megapixel front camera with 4k video support is equally impressive.
Essential Phone PH-1 Specs
- Ambient OS
- 5.7-inch QHD IPS Gorilla Glass 5 Display, 2560 x 1312 pixel resolution, ~505 ppi
- 2.45GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor
- Adreno 540 GPU
- 4GB RAM
- 128GB UFS 2.1 internal storage
- WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO
- HSPA+, LTE
- 13-megapixel main sensor RGB + 13-megapixel monochrome secondary sensor with f/1.85, hybrid autofocus and LED flash
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.2
- NFC
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB Type-C
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
- Fingerprint sensor
- Dimensions: 145.5 x 71.1 x 7.8 mm
- Weight: 185 g
- 3,040 mAh battery with fast charging
But will the consumers risk their hard-earned money with a new company? It’s no secret that the smartphone market is currently controlled by several brands right now and they’re doing really well.
The Essential Phone PH-1 has a price of $699 and it will first launch in the US. For those who want a clean, gorgeous and powerful smartphone, it might be worth a try. International pricing and availability are not yet available as of the moment.
There are tons of smartphones in the market already, so there’s little reason to get this device. But of course, there’s always the charisma of Andy Rubin, the co-creator of Android.
What do you think? Would you be interested in getting the Essential Phone?