I’ll readily admit I am a huge fan of the Google Pixel XL. I’ve used it for pretty much 12 months straight now and, during that time, I was also pretty convinced that I would do the same with the Google Pixel 2 in 2017/18.

But then something happened – the Essential Phone.

You could argue that the Pixel – and Pixel 2 – being made by Google have obvious advantages. They essentially come from the source, are used by Google engineers, and are always first in line to get any updates.

However, commissioning HTC to create the next-generation Pixel 2, in my book, is a massive mistake. And I am also not sold on the whole squeeze-functionality that is apparently coming to the Pixel 2.

If Essential can get Android updates out in quick fashion, or, a month or two after they’re released, it will place the company in front of 99.9% of current Android phone makers and this, along with the excellent design and stripped down software, could well be the key to the company’s success.

Fragmentation exists in the Android ecosystem, largely speaking, because of greed. Android phone makers COULD update all their handsets to the latest build of Android, it’d just take a bit of resource, but they don’t because all of them are hell-bent on selling you the next big thing.

From what Mr. Rubin is saying, he seems to want to do things differently – sort of like a Neo-Nexus way of doing things. And if this is indeed the case, he could well have a long term customer in the shape of me.

And then there’s the price angle; yes, $699 is still very expensive, though you can get 50% off with Sprint if you pre-order with them, but compared to what Apple and Samsung will be charging for their Q4 flagships, the Essential Phone is kinda cheap – some $200 cheaper.

This pricing model, as well as things like including 128GB as standard, are the kind of things that catch my attention. Specs for specs sake is the rule of thumb at present; everybody is doing it – it doesn’t matter where you look.

Impressive cameras, impressive displays, laptop-grade performance – it’s all there and it helps the biggest players in the space, notably Apple and Samsung, introduce a new, higher tier of pricing – the $1000+ niche.

And for my money, $1000 is a bit much for a phone – regardless of how good it might be. I’d take a cheaper alternative every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

But to my eyes only a few of brands – OnePlus, Essential, and Nokia – are really drilling down on value for money, offering something a little different at a reasonable price. This is also where growth, in a stagnant market, will likely be found as well, as consumers shop around for less expensive alternatives to Samsung and Apple phones.

Essential and Nokia could well be onto something here; it’s kind of like a slightly more expensive OnePlus model, a medium-high-end-tier, if you will.

This phone, created by a new start-up, helmed by Andy Rubin, the creator of Android, has been causing quite a bit of hype ever since word first broke about the project online. And now it is official, it appears the hype was justified.

Not only does the phone look stunning and feature very impressive specs and hardware, but it also carries with it Mr. Rubin’s beliefs about open-source technology, guaranteed Android updates for two years, regular security patches, a raft of innovative accessories, and, best of all, hardly any bloatware.

The Essential Phone – which is actually known as the PS-1 – doesn’t even carry a logo. Why? Simple: Andy Rubin says when you buy the phone, you own it, it is yours – not some branding experiment.

“One of the first things you’ll notice about Essential Phone is that there’s no branding,” said Rubin in a blog post. “That’s because we want it to be yours, not ours. And once you turn it on, you’ll find that there are a limited number of preloaded apps and no duplicative services.”

The Essential Phone is made from titanium and ceramic, meaning it is super hard-wearing. But, as you can see in the images below, it is also wonderfully eye-catching, way more so than Google’s incoming Pixel 2 updates, which have leaked plenty during the past couple of months and look, for the most part, like slight rehashes of the existing model.

Essential Phone Specs

• 5.71in 2560x1312 Display (19:10 aspect ratio)
• Snapdragon 835 CPU 
• 4GB of RAM 
• 128GB of UFS 2.1 Storage 
• 13MP Dual Lens Camera 
• 8MP Front-Facing
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB Type C
• 3040mAh Battery

The front is covered in Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 which will ensure it can survive any drops and scrapes.

"So why did I create Essential? Well, my hardware engineers wanted me to talk about how we are bringing real passion and craftsmanship back into this category," said Rubin.

He added: "My software engineers wanted me to talk about our vision for making all devices, even those we don't make ourselves, play well together. My partners wanted me to talk about how we are using methods that could change how successful technology companies are built forever." 

There’s a fingerprint scanner on the back as well as a clip-on point for a 360º camera attachment, which is bundled with the phone (by itself it costs $199). This 360º camera attachment is also the smallest of its kind.

Here's what one of the handset's designers had to say about the Essential Phone's build materials:

"The thing about titanium (used in our phone) is that it’s stiff. Really -- it won’t bend. Often found in aerospace designs for similar reasons, it allows us to use thinner walls and have more room for bigger batteries inside. We can also shrink the borders of the product without having to worry that the display will get damaged if the phone is dropped. But it wasn’t easy to get. I literally went around the world three times before I found a partner that shared our vision. But I’m glad we did, because the finished product is beautiful."

He added: "Craftsmanship is the intangible quality that a customer senses when they pick up a product for the first time. The experience one feels as the product rests in your hand, there’s an unconscious acknowledgement of whether it’s good or bad. If you hold a poorly crafted product, you can feel the haste in which it was rushed through the R&D process. This abstract notion is impossible to hide. It just doesn’t feel right."

The Essential phone, at its core, is designed to put the user first. It is designed to do that and then simply get out of the way and allow you to get on with your life.

“While the technology powering Essential Phone is cutting edge,” said Rubin, “the exterior and interface hide the complexity underneath; the result is a phone with a minimalist style designed to offer only what you need and nothing more.”

Essential even took a hit on storage to make the phone better; all Essential phones ship with 128GB of storage, so you will always have room for everything. Rubin said this was a small cost to the company and would pay dividends in the future, as more storage means happier users.

The price is pretty good as well – $699. That makes it cheaper than the incoming iPhone 8, the Samsung Galaxy S8, Google’s Pixel phones and just about every other flagship Android phone in existence right now.

A New Nexus Phone You Can Actually Get Behind

To me, the Essential Phone kind of feels like a new Nexus phone. It has the software covered, it has the bloatware limited, and it comes with all the features you could ever need.

The ethos behind the phone is also very Nexus – it’s about the user and the software and not much else. Chuck in decent pricing, a great design, and some excellent, well-thought out features like 128GB as a standard for all phones, and you’re left feeling very compelled by this device.

Best Place To Buy The Essential Phone

Essential Phone is available on Essential.com, Sprint (WITH 50% OFF ALL Preorders) and Amazon.

Essential Phone is compatible with all major carriers.