Engineering:Essential Phone

From HandWiki
Short description: 2017 Android smartphone by Essential Products
Essential Phone
Essential logo.svg
Essential Phone in ocean depths.jpg
DeveloperEssential Products
ManufacturerEssential Products
SloganFree Yourself
Compatible networksUMTS/HSPA+: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8
GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A: 0, 1, 10
LTE-FDD: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66
LTE-TDD: 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
TD-SCDMA: 34, 39
Availability by region
SuccessorEssential PH-2 (Cancelled)
TypeSmartphone
Form factorSlate
Dimensions141.5 mm (5.57 in) H
71.1 mm (2.80 in) W
7.8 mm (0.31 in) D
Mass185 g (6.5 oz)
Operating systemOriginal: Android 7.1.1 "Nougat"[3]
Current: Android 10[4]
System on chipQualcomm Snapdragon 835
CPUOcta-core (4x2.32 GHz & 4x1.9 GHz) Kryo 280
GPUAdreno 540
Memory4 GB RAM
Storage128 GB UFS 2.1
Battery3,040 mAh, not user-replaceable
Display5.71 inches (14.5 cm) 2560 x 1312 QHD, 500 cd/m² brightness, 19.5:10 aspect ratio
Rear camera13 MP dual RGB + monochrome cameras each with f/1.85 lens, hybrid autofocus combining contrast, phase detect and IR laser, video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps
Front camera8 MP resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio, f/2.2 fixed hyperfocal lens, video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps
ConnectivityBluetooth 5 LE
Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO
NFC, GPS and GLONASS
USB-C
OtherTitanium body
Ceramic back
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 cover glass
Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
Modular pogo pins that transmit power for accessories connected over Wireless USB
Websiteessential.com
References[5][6]

The Essential Phone (officially Phone or PH-1)[7] is a discontinued Android smartphone designed by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, and manufactured, developed and marketed by Essential Products. The phone was announced on May 30, 2017 and released on August 17, 2017.

The Essential Phone has a titanium and ceramic body, an edge-to-edge display protected by Gorilla Glass 5, and two rear cameras, one of which is dedicated to black-and-white photography. Accompanying the phone is a 360-degree camera that can be attached to the top of the device. It was notably also the first mainstream smartphone to feature a "notch" (the cut-out at the top of the display to accommodate a front-facing camera), which would eventually become a trend in the industry.[8] On December 28, 2018, Essential announced to media outlets that they would discontinue the Essential PH-1.[9]

On February 12, 2020, the company announced they will be winding down with no further updates to the PH-1.[10]

History

Pre-release

Eric Schmidt and Andy Rubin

Bloomberg reported in January 2017 that Andy Rubin, co-founder of the Android operating system acquired by Google in 2005, was preparing to announce a new hardware company called Essential, whose first hardware product would be the "Essential" Phone.[11][12]

The phone first appeared in a tweet by Rubin, posted on March 27, 2017.[13][14] In a quote of the tweet, Alphabet executive chairman Eric Schmidt confirmed the phone would run Android.[15] A few days prior to the official announcement, Essential tweeted an image of what appeared to be a 360-degree camera attached to the smartphone.[16][17] The Verge exclusively announced the device on May 30, 2017, hours ahead of Rubin's onstage announcement at a technology conference.[18]

Specifications

Hardware

The Essential Phone has a titanium and ceramic chassis,[18][19] an edge-to-edge display with an unusual 19.5:10 aspect ratio protected with Gorilla Glass 5,[20] a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage.[18]

Colors

At launch, four color options were announced: "Black Moon" (black ceramic and black titanium trim), "Stellar Grey" (gray ceramic and black trim), "Pure White" (white ceramic and natural titanium trim), and "Ocean Depths" (teal ceramic and copper-colored titanium).[21][22] "Black Moon" was the first color available, followed by "Pure White" in October 2017.[23][24]

"Stellar Grey" and "Ocean Depths" were released as limited editions in February 2018, alongside a "Copper Black" variant.[25] "Ocean Depths" sold out within two weeks.[26] An Amazon-exclusive version of the Essential Phone was also launched that month with a "Halo Grey" color and Alexa built-in.[27]

Essential Phone PH-1 color combinations
Name Ceramic[lower-alpha 1] Trim[lower-alpha 2] Availability Released
Black Moon Gloss Black Black Regular 2017[lower-alpha 3]
Pure White Gloss White Natural Regular 2017
Stellar Grey Matte gray Black Limited 2018
Ocean Depths Gloss teal Copper
Copper Black Gloss black Copper
Halo Grey Matte gray Natural Regular[lower-alpha 4]
Notes
  1. Color of ceramic back
  2. Color of titanium band/frame
  3. Only color available at launch
  4. Sold exclusively through Amazon

Cameras

Schematic view of screen, including notch for front-facing camera

The primary rear-facing camera uses two 13 MP (4224×3136px) Sony IMX258 Exmor RS sensors, each equipped with f=3.4mm[28] f/1.85 lenses. One sensor is monochrome which omits the Bayer filter to provide luminance data for black-and-white photography.[21] Testing shows the monochrome sensor also improves detail reproduction in low light.[29] The IMX258 is a 1/3.06" 4:3 aspect ratio backside illumination stacked image sensor,[30] which provides an 82° angle of view on the diagonal.

Its front-facing camera has an 8 MP (16:9 aspect ratio, 3840×2160px) sensor with a f=3.1mm[31] f/2.2 lens.[21]

Connectors

It has a USB-C connector but no 3.5 mm headphone jack.[6][18] Several Essential-branded accessories were planned for release.[32]

The phone is also equipped with the Click Connector, which uses magnets to secure a modular accessory to the top rear surface of the phone; two gold-plated pogo pins provide power to the accessory, and the phone communicates with the accessory via wireless USB.[33] The Verge compared the Click Connector to the Moto Mods system used on the Moto Z line of smartphones.[34] The first modular accessory designed and launched with the phone is a 360° camera.[33] Also at launch, a charging dock accessory was announced for the same connector.[18][23] Keyssa announced a lawsuit over the technology used in the Click Connector in October 2017. Essential had discussed wireless data connectivity with Keyssa for several months under a non-disclosure agreement, but Essential opted instead to use hardware from a competitor, SiBEAM.[35] For more discussion on the Keyssa lawsuit, see § Trade secret lawsuit.

In January 2018, Essential announced the development of the Audio Adapter HD, a third Click Connector accessory providing a headphone jack,[36] external DAC, and amplifier. It was scheduled to ship in the summer of 2018.[37] After it went on sale on November 13, 2018, as a limited edition, Essential sold out of the Audio Adapter HD within a day.[38]

Network compatibility

The Essential Phone is compatible with the four largest wireless carriers in the United States,[39][40] but the exclusive carrier partner is Sprint.[41][42][43] In Canada, Telus is the exclusive carrier partner.[44][45][46]

In July 2017, it was reported Essential was planning to sell the Essential Phone in other markets, including the United Kingdom, with a possible partnership with EE,[47][48] Japan, and Europe.[49][50]

Bands
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A
(CDMA band number)
GSM
(MHz)
UMTS
(UTRA band number)
LTE-FDD
(E-UTRA band number)
LTE-TDD
(E-UTRA band number)
TD-SCDMA
(E-UTRA band number)
0, 1, 10 850/900/1800/1900 1, 2, 4–6, 8 1–8, 11–13, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28–39, 66 38–43 34, 39

Software

Essential Phone runs Android, without modifications.[6] It has an unlocked bootloader, potentially allowing for a significant developer community wanting to further customize its software.[51] Rubin published a blog post on August 16, 2017, promising two years of Android updates and three years of monthly security patches.[52] On August 6, 2018, the device was upgraded to Android 9.0 "Pie", day-and-date with its official launch on the first-party Google Pixel devices.[53] An update to Android 10 was also released upon its public availability in September 2019.[54]

Issues

Meltdown and Spectre

In January 2018, the phone quickly received a patch to fix the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities after they were revealed. Until this time, only phones by Google had these vulnerabilities patched.[55]

Availability delay

Rubin announced on May 30, 2017, that the Essential Phone would ship in approximately 30 days,[56][57] i.e. June 2017.[58] This estimated timetable was not met, however, without Essential responding to media queries.[59][60][61] In mid-July, Rubin sent an email to potential customers saying carrier certification and testing were underway, and that he expected the device to be shipped "in a few weeks".[62] After a series of delays and the lack of an exact release date, Best Buy put up listings for the Essential Phone,[63] which went live on August 17.[64] On August 9, 2017, Rubin announced the phone was in mass production, and that a release date would be announced in the next week.[65][66][67] The Essential Phone was then confirmed to start shipping by the fourth week of August, according to an email sent by Rubin to customers.[68] It began shipping in batches by August 25.[1]

Customer data leak

On August 29, 2017, reports emerged that hundreds of customers who ordered the Essential Phone started receiving e-mails from an @essential address. The e-mail contained an official-looking request for a "photo ID" of the customer to "verify information to complete the processing of the recent order". Essential later tweeted that they were aware of the recent e-mails received by some customers and that they were investigating them and had taken steps to mitigate problems.[69][70][71] Rubin personally apologized and one year of LifeLock was offered to affected customers; around 70 people were affected.[72] Some customers' drivers' licenses were leaked over e-mail as well.[73] Customers affected by the data leak got the phone for free.[74][75]

Touch issues

In October 2017, some handsets had a display touch scrolling "jitteriness" issue. Essential said they were working on the problem and a software patch would be released.[76]

Trade secret lawsuit

Keyssa (now owned by Molex) filed a lawsuit against Essential in October 2017

Keyssa, a startup company founded by Dr. Frank Chang, Ira Deyhimy and Gary McCormack [77] and specializing in wireless data transmission, filed a lawsuit accusing Essential of trade secret theft in October 2017. Keyssa said it was in talks with Essential for roughly 10 months to help provide the technology behind connecting Essential's new Android phone and their planned future products. Essential wanted to incorporate a Keyssa-developed microchip in the Essential Phone to provide functionality to their modular accessories, but turned to a similar company, SiBeam, to produce the microchip. Keyssa says Essential stole its proprietary technology because the non-disclosure agreements it signed protected the two companies' meetings and prevented Essential from using those trade secrets to make commercial products.[78][79]

Keyssa has not been compensated for Essential's use of this guidance and know-how. We are pursuing this action because our attempts to resolve this matter through discussions with Essential have not been successful.

According to Essential, the Click Connector is not based on technology from Keyssa and the firm vowed to "defend ourselves vigorously".[80]

Reception

Critical reception

The Essential Phone received generally positive reviews. Much of the criticism was directed towards the camera performance, and the omission of a headphone jack.[23]

  • Wired positively noted its design, battery life, performance and stock Android OS, but disliked the camera and built-in speaker. They gave it a score of 8/10.[81]
  • Engadget praised its build quality, edge-to-edge display, performance, battery life and clean build of Android 7.1.1, but criticized the screen's brightness, and the lack of a headphone jack and water resistance.[82]
  • iFixit gave the phone a 1 out of 10 in terms of repairability because it is almost impossible to open without freezing and ultimately breaking it.[83]
  • CNET noted that despite Essential's claims about the device's toughness, it can still suffer from dents during normal use, and the screen may crack if dropped from a height.[84]
  • This Week in Tech praised the design, specs, and OS, but noted the phone's screen cracked during normal use without being dropped, and criticized the performance of the cameras and a camera accessory.[85]
  • Tech reviewer Marques Brownlee gave the phone an award for "Best Design" in his annual "Smartphone Awards" series in 2017.[86]

Sales

In its first month of release, shipments of the Essential Phone were very low, with sales of around 5,000 units estimated being sold through Sprint.[87] Due to low demand, Essential reduced the price of the phone from an initial US$699 to US$499. Customers who purchased the phone at the original price could claim a US$200 "friends and family" code that could be used to purchase the 360-degree camera module or another Essential Phone.[88][89]

Essential claim six figure sales numbers,[90] estimated to be about 150,000 phones.[91]

Successor

The PH-2, a successor that was in the works according to designers[92] has been cancelled.[91] According to sources at Essential in October 2018, the company was working on another phone that operates primarily under voice control to automate certain tasks, such as responding to emails and text messages or making appointments.[93]

On October 9, 2019, Essential founder Andy Rubin shared Project Gem which was planned to be the company's upcoming smartphone. The images shared by Rubin showed an abnormally tall smartphone running on Android.[94] On February 12, 2020, as part of their announcement regarding ceasing operations, Essential showcased videos of the phone and stated they had, "taken Gem as far as we can and regrettably have no clear path to deliver it to customers."[95]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Essential Phone begins shipping today, only 57 days late". CNET. https://www.cnet.com/news/essential-phone-ships-after-two-missed-ship-dates/. 
  2. Locklear, Mallory (27 April 2018). "Essential Phone is available in more countries, including UK and Japan". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/27/essential-phone-available-more-countries-uk-japan/. 
  3. Maring, Joe (July 17, 2017). "Andy Rubin's Essential Phone is Confirmed to Run Android 7.1.1 Nougat". https://www.xda-developers.com/andy-rubins-essential-phone-is-confirmed-to-run-android-7-1-1-nougat/. 
  4. "Android 10 is already rolling out to the Essential Phone". September 3, 2019. https://www.androidcentral.com/android-10-already-rolling-out-essential-phone. 
  5. "Specifications". https://www.essential.com/. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bohn, Dieter (May 30, 2017). "The Essential Phone: A first look at the hardware". https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/30/15717066/essential-phone-hands-on-photos-android-hardware. 
  7. "Andy Rubin, creator of Android, debuts his new Essential Phone" (YouTube Video). Recode. May 30, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCjjnVNXDLI&t=12m57s. 
  8. Rayner, Tristan (March 15, 2018). "Who owns the notch?". https://www.androidauthority.com/who-owns-the-notch-845086/. 
  9. Hollister, Sean (2018-12-28). "Essential all but confirms it's making another phone". https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/12/28/18159598/essential-phone-discontinued-new-mobile-product-confirmed. 
  10. "An Update from Essential". https://www.essential.com/blog/essential-update. 
  11. Gurman, Mark; Bergen, Mark (January 13, 2017). "Andy Rubin Nears His Comeback, Complete With an 'Essential' Phone". Bloomberg.com (Bloomberg). https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-13/andy-rubin-nears-his-comeback-complete-with-an-essential-phone. 
  12. Welch, Chris (January 13, 2017). "Android's co-founder is building a new company and a new kind of smartphone". https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/13/14267300/android-andy-rubin-interview-new-company-essential. 
  13. Gartenberg, Chaim (March 27, 2017). "Andy Rubin teases a first look at Essential's bezel-less smartphone". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/3/27/15075400/andy-rubin-essential-smartphone-design-teaser-bezels. 
  14. Conditt, Jessica (March 27, 2017). "Android creator Andy Rubin teases his new smartphone". AOL. https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/27/andy-rubin-smartphone-photo-tweet-android-creator/. 
  15. Gartenberg, Chaim (March 29, 2017). "Google's Eric Schmidt confirms the Essential smartphone runs Android". https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/3/29/15109186/essential-smartphone-runs-android-andy-rubin-eric-schmidt. 
  16. Thomson, Iain (May 26, 2017). "Andy Rubin teases next week's launch of Essential phone". https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/26/andy_rubin_launches_essential_phone/. 
  17. Kovach, Steve (May 25, 2017). "The creator of Android just teased a weird new accessory for his top-secret phone". Axel Springer SE. http://www.businessinsider.com/andy-rubin-startup-essential-phone-photo-2017-5. 
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Bohn, Dieter (May 30, 2017). "Exclusive: this is the Essential Phone". https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/30/15711170/essential-phone-announcement-price-android-andy-rubin. 
  19. Balakrishnan, Anita (May 30, 2017). "There's room for more than one 'love brand' in phones, says the COO of Andy Rubin's new company". CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/30/essential-phone-interview-with-niccolo-de-masi.html. 
  20. Smith, Chris (May 30, 2017). "The Essential phone that's going after the iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 is finally here". http://bgr.com/2017/05/30/essential-phone-release-date-price-specs/. 
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Zhang, Michael (May 30, 2017). "The Essential Phone Has Dual Cameras, 4K, and a Dedicated B&W Sensor". https://petapixel.com/2017/05/30/essential-phone-dual-cameras-4k-dedicated-bw-sensor/. 
  22. Weber, Harrison (February 16, 2018). "I Can't Tell What Color This Phone Is and Honestly It's Driving Me Nuts". Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/i-cant-tell-what-color-this-phone-is-and-honestly-its-d-1823075408. 
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Lynch, Doug (September 15, 2017). "Summary of Essential's Reddit AMA: Android Oreo Coming Soon, White Model, Verizon Support, and More". https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-phone-reddit-ama-summary/. 
  24. Maring, Joe (12 October 2017). "You can now buy the Pure White Essential Phone". https://www.androidcentral.com/you-can-now-buy-pure-white-essential-phone. 
  25. Brown, Scott (February 16, 2018). "Essential Phone to come in three new, limited edition colors". Android Authority. https://www.androidauthority.com/essential-phone-come-three-new-limited-edition-colors-838229/. 
  26. Kastrenakes, Jacob (March 1, 2018). "Essential's limited-edition phone colors look spectacular". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/1/17066192/essential-limited-edition-colors-photos-ocean-depths-matte-black-bronze-amazon. 
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  28. Crollini, Armando (August 28, 2018). "untitled". https://www.flickr.com/photos/100911036@N04/44381793521/. 
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  30. "Overview: Image Sensor for Mobile IMX258". Sony Semiconductor Solutions. https://www.sony-semicon.co.jp/products_en/IS/sensor1/products/imx258.html. 
  31. Lovén, Carl Nenzén (October 30, 2017). "Self-portrait". https://www.flickr.com/photos/nenzen/38047427816/. 
  32. Scrivens, Scott (11 January 2018). "Essential has some new accessories available, including USB-C earbuds and a fast charger". http://www.androidpolice.com/2018/01/11/essential-new-accessories-available-including-usb-c-earbuds-fast-charger/. 
  33. 33.0 33.1 Nystedt, Brendan (18 August 2017). "Essential's snap-on 360 Camera has some growing up to do". Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/essential-360-camera-hands-on/. Retrieved 30 October 2018. 
  34. Savov, Vlad (May 30, 2017). "The Essential Phone has its own version of the magnetic Moto Mods system". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/30/15711194/essential-phone-modular-magnetic-accessory-system. 
  35. Davenport, Corbin (October 16, 2017). "Essential is being sued over its modular accessory technology". Android Police. https://www.androidpolice.com/2017/10/16/essential-sued-modular-accessory-technology/. 
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  37. Gartenberg, Chaim (June 7, 2018). "The Essential Phone's first new module since launch is a magnetic headphone jack". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/6/7/17439734/essential-phone-headphone-jack-module-release-date. 
  38. Hager, Ryne (November 13, 2018). "[Update: Already sold out Essential reveals its Audio Adapter HD, a $150 machined titanium external DAC for the PH-1"]. Android Police. https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/11/13/essential-reveals-audio-adapter-hd-150-machined-titanium-external-dac-ph-1/. 
  39. Welch, Chris (May 30, 2017). "US carriers confirm they'll support the Essential Phone". https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/5/30/15713808/essential-phone-verizon-att-tmobile-sprint-compatibility. 
  40. "Essential Phone now approved to work on Verizon". The Verge. September 16, 2017. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/16/16319676/essential-verizon-approval. 
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  42. Bohn, Dieter (June 12, 2017). "The Essential Phone is launching as a Sprint exclusive, but will still work on other carriers". https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/12/15781066/essential-phone-sprint-exclusive-other-carriers. 
  43. Dunn, Jeff (June 12, 2017). "Andy Rubin's Essential phone will be a Sprint 'exclusive' – but you can use it on other carriers if you want". Axel Springer SE. http://www.businessinsider.com/essential-phone-sprint-exclusive-how-to-use-on-other-carriers-2017-6. 
  44. Westall, Jake (June 15, 2017). "Telus Announces Essential Phone Availability for Canada". https://www.xda-developers.com/telus-announces-essential-phone-availability-for-canada/. 
  45. Bonifacic, Igor (June 15, 2017). "Andy Rubin's Essential Phone is coming exclusively to Telus this summer". http://mobilesyrup.com/2017/06/15/andy-rubin-essential-phone-telus-canada-july/. 
  46. "Essential Phone is now available to purchase in US and Canada". GSMArena.com. http://gsmarena.com/essential_phone_is_now_available_to_purchase_in_us_and_canada-news-27184.php. 
  47. Summers, Nick (July 17, 2017). "Essential's first smartphone is coming to the UK". AOL. https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/17/essential-smartphone-uk-launch-ee-talks/. 
  48. Ghosh, Shona (July 17, 2017). "A new smartphone from the man who created Android is reportedly coming to the UK". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. http://www.businessinsider.com/andy-rubin-essential-smartphone-uk-europe-and-japan-launch-2017-7. 
  49. Gartenberg, Chaim (July 17, 2017). "The Essential Phone is reportedly coming to Japan, the UK, and other European countries". https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/17/15981392/essential-phone-uk-japan-europe-international-release-andy-rubin-android-report. 
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  51. Kondrat, Tomek (June 3, 2017). "Essential Phone Will have an Unlockable Bootloader". https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-phone-will-have-an-unlockable-bootloader/. 
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  53. Welch, Chris (2018-08-06). "The Essential Phone is being upgraded to Android 9 Pie on the same day as Google's Pixels". https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/8/6/17656294/essential-phone-android-9-pie-update-now-available. 
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  55. Patel, Idrees (6 January 2018). "Essential Phone Starts Receiving January 2018 Security Patch Update". https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-phone-january-2018-security-patch-meltdown-spectre/. 
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  58. "Andy Rubin's Essential is now valued at over a billion dollars without shipping a single phone". August 14, 2017. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/8/14/16142772/andy-rubin-essential-phone-valuation-billion-dollars-unicorn-value. 
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  61. Davenport, Corbin (July 8, 2017). "Essential misses its promised 30-day shipping period for the Essential phone". Illogical Robot LLC. http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/07/08/essential-misses-promised-30-day-shipping-period-essential-phone/. 
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