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When Essential first launched, many were understandably excited. This is because the company was founded by Andy Rubin who was behind devices like the Sidekick while also known as the father of Android. With Rubin now presumably being freer to do whatever he wants, many had high hopes for Essential and its products.
Unfortunately, it looks like if you were hoping to see an Essential Phone 2, that will no longer be happening as the company has since officially announced that they will be ceasing their operations and shutting down. In a statement released by the company:
“Despite our best efforts, we’ve now taken Gem as far as we can and regrettably have no clear path to deliver it to customers. Given this, we have made the difficult decision to cease operations and shutdown Essential.”
For those who are unfamiliar, the Essential Phone was first released in 2017. Many had expected a follow-up device, but that never happened. We did hear hints that the company was planning a successor, but that clearly will no longer be happening.
Instead, Essential had teased a new smartphone concept in the form of Gem, which was this tiny and extremely slim device that challenged the way we used our smartphones. Based on Essential’s statement, it now appears that this was the company’s last-ditch effort to release another consumer product.
It will be a pity to see Essential go, but if anything, it does highlight how extremely competitive the smartphone market is today.
Source: Essential
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