There still won’t be an Essential Phone 2, but a bunch of the crew who were working on that device have started a new company. Called OSOM, several former Essential staff have teamed up to bring what could be a fresh new device in the future, assuming they carry on ideas from their now-shuttered, Andy Rubin-led company.
Founded by former Essential R&D head Jason Keats, OSOM already has 11 employees, 8 of which used to be a part of Essential. The plan is to hire another 20-30 folks in the coming months too, as they develop some sort of new hardware.
When asked by Android Police about the focus of OSOM, Keats suggested that he thinks the best user experiences are created when a company works both hardware and software. Does that mean OSOM will make a phone? Maybe. They could build something else too, but just know that it doesn’t sound like a company looking to create a new software and then license that. They plan to make it all. Keats did make a point that he will try to avoid one of Essential’s biggest mistakes, which was releasing a product to market before it’s ready.
Speaking of Essential and mistakes, Andy Rubin has no part in OSOM. He’s not even an investor. And that’s the right move if OSOM ever wants to be taken seriously, as Rubin’s history is likely the leading cause for Essential’s demise.
We don’t know much else about OSOM, but if you’d like to stay up-to-date on their happenings, they have a website where you can sign-up to be notified.
Was my favorite phone from a look and feel and quality level. If they could essentially make a 4a competitor in the same price range with the Essential look and feel I would be all over it.
Actually picked up my old essential phone the other day. Nothing has ever been able to compare when it comes to a quality feeling in hand. Which marks a stark contrast to the pixel 4a I’m using currently…
Hmm, I was looking to replace my PH-1 with a 4a if I can get one near $300 during black friday. Definitely plasticy and not as hefty and gorgeous as the PH-1, but I’m going to put a case on it anyhow. Do you like the 4a vs the PH-1 other than the quality feel? I need 5.7″+ (that’s what SHE said), anything smaller and I can’t type on it, don’t want to spend over $350, want a good battery life but I dont need 6 hours of screen time a day, decent camera’s and LOTS OF FUTURE UPDATES.
I’d buy the new cheapo iphone, but its screen is too small, and I don’t really trust the bigger players outside of google (and formerly essential) to give me all the updates for 2-3 years. Still have some moto and lg phones that NEVER got a major android update and just a few security updates. Lame.
I wouldn’t really compare them to be honest. The PH-1 is too old for it to be fair. The battery life has been very good, I’ve gone over 6 hours of screen on time before headed for a charger, usually end the day on 2-3 hours of screen on time with no issues. It’s definitely a very cheap phone, if I push on the back near the camera housing I can make the phone squeak and creak. However, a very solid pixel/android experience and I’m enjoying it immensely, not so much as a phone that has a ton of gadgets, but as a phone that fulfills the current promise of android in it’s entirety and does it well.
Seemed the performance and battery life would be a step up from the PH-1 when new, and I’m not buying a non google phone to get 1 android update and a security update every six months if I’m lucky. Sounds like it’ll do the job. I’m not a heavy phone user, the ph-1 was more than enough, but the battery is going and the updates are over, so…sounds like a good next phone.
Thanks for the info, confirms my feelings. I’ll be putting a solid case on it so its exterior build quality/flexiness won’t matter.
Hope this isn’t another Nextbit situation. They had promise.
Project Gem, perhaps? Hope not!
I couldn’t see that as a daily driver, but might be nice as a seldom used phone and for remote control apps.
Why can’t tech start-ups come up with simple, easy to understand company names? I don’t want Osoma on the back of my phone
Sooooo, like…what is the name short for (or mean)?
OSOM is phonetic for “awesome”
Wouldn’t have guessed that in a million years
Me either except Jason Keats used the hashtag #somethingOSOMiscoming
Ahh, I didn’t see that.
While it mostly likely sounds similar to the word it’s actually not the phonetic spelling for “awesome”. That would be something like ˈȯ-səm, ˈɔ səm, or ˈɔːsəm.
https://i.imgur.com/sdjAJrO.gif
I really just want someone to make a OnePlus phone with Pixel software (including camera/call screening/now playing/etc…)
I guess what I really want is for Google to bring back the Google Play Edition devices; and yes – I know I am dreaming.
Yes. I really wish they’d bring back the Play Edition.
Can’t wait to read a future article about one of these guys getting fired from the company for receiving extramarital ‘favors’ in his office.
If they provide the same level of software support as how they did with the Essential Phone for any future smartphone then I wouldn’t mind giving them a try.
Mobile phone companies are born everyday Wake me up when they release something
If they are able to make anything close to the essential phone and give the updates that it had. Sign me up.
Still have a ph-1 as my daily driver and there’s Lineage Official roms for it, but I’m down to 50% battery capacity.
Looking for a pixel 4a deal during the holiday sales. If I can get one around $300, I’m going in that direction.
essential is dead,
but they have osom news.