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Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone wants to be your next smartphone

Essential Phone

After months of teasing, Essential, the company that Andy Rubin, the man known as the father of Android, founded, has its unveiled first smartphone.

Known simply as the Essential “PH-1” Phone, the device is an ambitious high-end Android smartphone that combines, into one cohesive package, many of the unique and disparate ideas we’ve seen other smartphone OEMs attempt over the past few years.

essential phone

The Essential Phone’s most noticeable hardware feature is its edge-to-edge display, which Essential has taken to calling a “Full Display.” It’s a 19:10, 2560 x 1312 pixel QHD screen that one-ups similar bezel-less displays from Samsung and LG by extending all the way to the top of the device and around the phone’s front-facing camera.

The entire device is made from Gorilla Glass 5, titanium and ceramic. It also doesn’t include any branding. Thanks to this design, Essential says its phone is significantly more durable than competing devices like the iPhone and Galaxy S8.

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Samsung Galaxy S8

LG G6

HTC U11

Display

5.71-inches, IPS LCD display, 2560 x 1312 pixels, 19:10 aspect ratio

5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 18.5:9 aspect ratio

5.7-inch, QHD+ display, 2880×1440, 18:9 aspect ratio

5.5-inch Super LCD5 display, 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio

Processor

Snapdragon 835

Snapdragon 835 (Exynos 8895 in Europe and other regions)

Snapdragon 821

Snapdragon 835

RAM

4GB of RAM

4GB of RAM

4GB of RAM

4GB of RAM

Storage

128GB

64GB (expandable up to 256GB)

32GB (expandable up to 2TB)

64GB, 128GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Dimensions (in.)

141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8mm

148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm

148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm

153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm

Weight

185g

152g

163g

169g

Rear Facing Camera

13-megapixel, (f/1.85)

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS)

13-megapixel (f/1.8) +13-megapixel (f/2.4)

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS, AF) dual-LED flash

Front Facing Camera

8-megapixel, (f/2.2)

8-megapixel (f/1.7)

5-megapixel (f/2.2)

16-megapixel (f/2.0)

OS

Android 8.1.1 Oreo

Android 8.0 Oreo

Android 7.0 Nougat

Android 7.1

Battery

3,040mAh

3,000 mAh

3,300mAh

3,000mAh

Network Connectivity

GSM / HSPA / LTE / Band 66

GSM/HSPA/LTE

GSM/HSPA/LTE

GSM / HSPA / LTE

Sensors

Rear Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, 10 finger multitouch, Accelerometer, Magnetometer , Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, colour spectrum

Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Edge Sensor, Sensor Hub, Motion G-senor, Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

SIM Type

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Nano SIM,

Launch Date

May 30, 2017

March 29, 2017

April 7, 2017

May 16, 2017

Misc

Colours: Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White, Ocean Depths | Modularity, USB Type-C, No headphone jack, Bezel-less, Titanium build

Colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold| Bixby, IP68 certified water-resistant, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.

Colours: Ice Platinum |USB Type-C port, Headphone jack, IP68 certified water and dust resistant

Colour: Brilliant Black, Sapphire Blue, Amazing Silver, Solar Red | Edge Sensor, IP67 water/dust resistant, USB Type-C, HTC Ultra Pixel 3 with 1.4μm pixel

Display

Essential Phone (PH-1)

5.71-inches, IPS LCD display, 2560 x 1312 pixels, 19:10 aspect ratio

Samsung Galaxy S8

5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 18.5:9 aspect ratio

LG G6

5.7-inch, QHD+ display, 2880×1440, 18:9 aspect ratio

HTC U11

5.5-inch Super LCD5 display, 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio

Processor

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Snapdragon 835

Samsung Galaxy S8

Snapdragon 835 (Exynos 8895 in Europe and other regions)

LG G6

Snapdragon 821

HTC U11

Snapdragon 835

RAM

Essential Phone (PH-1)

4GB of RAM

Samsung Galaxy S8

4GB of RAM

LG G6

4GB of RAM

HTC U11

4GB of RAM

Storage

Essential Phone (PH-1)

128GB

Samsung Galaxy S8

64GB (expandable up to 256GB)

LG G6

32GB (expandable up to 2TB)

HTC U11

64GB, 128GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Dimensions (in.)

Essential Phone (PH-1)

141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8mm

Samsung Galaxy S8

148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm

LG G6

148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm

HTC U11

153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm

Weight

Essential Phone (PH-1)

185g

Samsung Galaxy S8

152g

LG G6

163g

HTC U11

169g

Rear Facing Camera

Essential Phone (PH-1)

13-megapixel, (f/1.85)

Samsung Galaxy S8

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS)

LG G6

13-megapixel (f/1.8) +13-megapixel (f/2.4)

HTC U11

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS, AF) dual-LED flash

Front Facing Camera

Essential Phone (PH-1)

8-megapixel, (f/2.2)

Samsung Galaxy S8

8-megapixel (f/1.7)

LG G6

5-megapixel (f/2.2)

HTC U11

16-megapixel (f/2.0)

OS

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Android 8.1.1 Oreo

Samsung Galaxy S8

Android 8.0 Oreo

LG G6

Android 7.0 Nougat

HTC U11

Android 7.1

Battery

Essential Phone (PH-1)

3,040mAh

Samsung Galaxy S8

3,000 mAh

LG G6

3,300mAh

HTC U11

3,000mAh

Network Connectivity

Essential Phone (PH-1)

GSM / HSPA / LTE / Band 66

Samsung Galaxy S8

GSM/HSPA/LTE

LG G6

GSM/HSPA/LTE

HTC U11

GSM / HSPA / LTE

Sensors

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Rear Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, 10 finger multitouch, Accelerometer, Magnetometer , Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

Samsung Galaxy S8

Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor

LG G6

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, colour spectrum

HTC U11

Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Edge Sensor, Sensor Hub, Motion G-senor, Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

SIM Type

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Nano SIM

Samsung Galaxy S8

Nano SIM

LG G6

Nano SIM

HTC U11

Nano SIM,

Launch Date

Essential Phone (PH-1)

May 30, 2017

Samsung Galaxy S8

March 29, 2017

LG G6

April 7, 2017

HTC U11

May 16, 2017

Misc

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Colours: Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White, Ocean Depths | Modularity, USB Type-C, No headphone jack, Bezel-less, Titanium build

Samsung Galaxy S8

Colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold| Bixby, IP68 certified water-resistant, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.

LG G6

Colours: Ice Platinum |USB Type-C port, Headphone jack, IP68 certified water and dust resistant

HTC U11

Colour: Brilliant Black, Sapphire Blue, Amazing Silver, Solar Red | Edge Sensor, IP67 water/dust resistant, USB Type-C, HTC Ultra Pixel 3 with 1.4μm pixel

Also notable is the smartphone’s back-facing camera. Like the iPhone 7 and Huawei P10, the Essential Phone features two back-facing cameras. Like the P10, the second camera features a monochromatic sensor. According to Essential, this allows the Essential Phone’s back-facing camera to capture 200 percent more light than a traditional smartphone camera, leading to best-in-class low light performance. On the front of the device, is an 8-megapixel camera that can capture 4K video.

The company will also ship a separate 360-degree camera. The optional accessory is capable of capturing 4K 360-degree video at 30 frames per second. It attaches via two magnetic ports on the back of the device. Essential claims its 360-degree camera is the smallest in the world. The company will ship other modular accessories that connect to the back of the Essential Phone and add additional functionality to it in the future.

Essential-Phone-Black
essential-phone-grey
essential-phone-ocean-depths
Essential-Phone-White

The phone is no slouch when it comes to performance. It features a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,040mAh battery and back-facing fingerprint sensor. In terms of connectivity, the Essential Phone supports USB-C, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0.

It also supports some but not all Canadian carrier frequencies and bands. Notably, the Essential Phone does support Band 66.

Essential Camera

That said, it’s missing several features that have become commonplace with other high-end devices like the Galaxy S8 and LG G6, including water-proofing and microSD expandability. It also doesn’t include a headphone jack — according to Essential, the phone will ship with a USB-C headphone dongle.

Essential did not say much about the PH-1’s software. It will run a stock-like version of Android 7.1.1 that’s designed to work in conjunction with the company’s Essential Home product.

At launch, the Essential Phone is set to cost $700 USD (approximately $943 CAD) unlocked. Essential did not announce a Canadian release date for the device.

Correction: An earlier version of this mistakenly said the Essential Phone would not be compatible with Freedom Mobile LTE network.

[source]Essential[/source]

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