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Andy Rubin's Essential smartphone company to close

by Mark Tyson on 13 February 2020, 13:11

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Essential is to cease operations and shutdown. The innovative smartphone company, started by ex-Googler Andy Rubin, will exit with only one shipping product to its name - the notch pioneering Essential PH-1. From the official news update post on the Essential site, it seems like its next device hit a manufacturing/distribution stone wall and that was ultimately the impetus behind the decision to close.

Essential says that its vision was to "invent a mobile computing paradigm that more seamlessly integrated with people’s lifestyle needs." However, the Project Gem, which would have spearheaded this vision will never be commercialised as the firm sees "no clear path to deliver it to customers".

The news writer from the Essential team thanked employees in Palo Alto and Bangalore - as well as global partners - for the work done in the name of the company. Particular mention was given to the CloudMagic team which joined Essential last year and was a major force in delivering Newton Mail and developing the slim and compact Project Gem smartphone.

Essential wishes to wind down its operations in an orderly way and has taken some steps to do so. For example, the Essential PH-1, which has been well supported since launch, will get "a prebuilt of our vendor image and everything else needed to keep hacking on PH-1 will be hosted on our github". The PH-1 was last updated by Essential on 3rd Feb, and that will be the last official patch delivered. Current Newton Mail users will have access to the service until 30th April 2020.

As it winds-down, Essential has released a series of videos which showcase the charm and simplicity of the now to be mothballed Project Gem series of smartphones. I've embedded two of the four videos here, above and below. You can check them all out at the source.

Of the multitude of samey me-too smartphone slabs seemingly launched daily it is a shame that these Essential Gem devices with their carefully considered software/hardware choices look like they will never make it into consumer hands.



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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Backwards step for a phone. In my eyes, it makes more sense as a controller of people who love their Internet Of Things.

Could be a controller for the TV, sound system, washing machine etc… etc…
AGTDenton
Backwards step for a phone.
I don't know about that, I kind of liked it if I ignored the case colours. Kind of thought it would be good for a ‘night out’ phone, especially if it was overall more compact than the 6inch+ screens we keep getting forced on us.

Yes, I want a smaller sized phone and I'm over 6ft tall… hell I've been tempted by the palm thing if it was slightly better spec'd
I liked the look too, seem more manageable not least for a person that almost exclusive only use his phone as a phone.
But all the other junkies of whatever will cram thru some sort of wireless connection, well for those it would probably be a hard sell.
And those poor bastards are the majority of people on this globe, so with no fruit company wunder machine, well then you are lost.

Just got a SMS from my underwear, it say its time for a bath, OMG what did people do before this wonderful IOT, if it wasent for that SMS i would be wearing the same underwear Saturday.
Thank god for IOT, the savior of mankind.
I'm glad to hear they are handing over all the stuff required for the community to play and hack the thing. That's something at least.
I thought it was likely to be tough for them to compete when they launched, so it's not entirely surprising.

philehidiot
I'm glad to hear they are handing over all the stuff required for the community to play and hack the thing. That's something at least.
I agree, releasing the sources and allowing the community to carry on where they left off can only be a good thing for the longevity of it.