Products by Essential

Essential was a technology company founded by Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android Inc., which later became the Android operating system owned by Google. The company’s primary product was the Essential Phone (PH-1), a smartphone that aimed to provide a premium Android experience with high-end specifications and a unique design.

The Essential Phone was announced in May 2017 and released later that year. It featured a distinctive edge-to-edge display with a small notch at the top and a ceramic back panel. The phone received praise for its build quality and clean software experience, which was close to stock Android with minimal bloatware.

Despite its promising start, Essential faced challenges in the competitive smartphone market, including distribution issues and limited carrier partnerships. The company also canceled plans for a second-generation Essential Phone and discontinued its smart home product, the Essential Home.

In early 2020, Essential announced that it was ceasing operations, citing difficulties in bringing its next product to market and exploring options to sell its intellectual property. While the Essential Phone did not achieve mainstream success, it left a mark on the industry with its focus on simplicity, design, and user experience.