What will it take to sell smartwatches? Just make us feel something

Tech firms don’t understand what makes us want to buy a watch. It’s not the latest Qualcomm processor, it’s not a heart-rate sensor, and it’s not a complex calendar app to help plan your day. We buy a watch because of how it makes us feel when wearing it. A watch — in fact, any wearable device from glasses to brooches — is a piece of jewelry. We wear it because it makes us feel good.

Tech is notoriously bad at replicating the emotion we get from a painstakingly well-chosen piece of clothing or accessory, yet the fashion and tech worlds continue to clunkily converge, just with little impact. Almost no-one is getting it right, and it’s because manufacturers haven’t made a smartwatch that tugs at our heart strings like it should.

Where is the, “Absolutely, positively, really, must-have-it” smartwatch? It seems such an obvious thing, so why is it proving so difficult?

Tech is impersonal

Time to roll out the excuses. The first one is that old standby: It’s a piece of tech, and it’s never going to be personal. The rationale is your smartphone, fridge, TV, and almost every other product you plug in or charge up has been mass produced, and is therefore one-in-several-million. There wasn’t much love put into its creation, and it almost certainly wasn’t hand-crafted by an artisan with skills passed down from generation to generation, in a century-old atelier somewhere in Switzerland. It has no soul. How, then, could you hope to form an attachment to it?

Personality has become a marketable selling point for smartphones.

I don’t accept this. Yes, it applies to your fridge, because unless you’re deranged, Samsung doesn’t expect you to fall in love with it. It will come as no surprise to any company that we can form attachments to the more personal items, however, particularly things we wear. Hardly a trade secret. It just seems so ripe for exploitation.

What’s more, personality has become a marketable selling point for smartphones and Internet of Things hardware over the past couple of years, due to the rise in virtual assistants. Whether it’s the Rock hitting his goals with Siri, or Alexa waking us up with an amusing alarm call, tech companies want these products to be a part of the family.

We’re being pushed into a relationship with our tech this way, yet all the while the same industry is searching for a way to get us buying wearable tech. The understanding is there. Why then, isn’t there a range of smartwatches we’re rushing out to buy?

It’s because smartwatches don’t have a use

The problem lies with how smartwatch projects are being greenlit. The general public is apparently confused about why they would need, or want, smartwatch. It’s not just regular people either, Huawei’s CEO said exactly the same thing, and apparently questions his team when they present a new smartwatch idea, challenging them to provide a, “tangible need” for the device. He’s correct in doing so, but isn’t yelling the right question at the engineers. Hint: It has absolutely nothing to do with a “need.”

Edox Chronorally

Fulfilling a need is an engineer’s dream, and the tech way of doing things. Conjure up a list of features, and needs everywhere will be satisfied. Wrong. Digital Trends Editor in Chief Jeremy Kaplan correctly said recently, “manufacturers will need to concentrate on people, not products,” to grow the wearables market. He suggested devices need to solve a specific problem, or enhance our lives. He’s right, but care is needed because this can easily lead to us all being buried under a list of newly proposed features. Let’s be very clear: Features are not the answer.

Learn from the masters

People’s desire, not needs, are the answer. A smartwatch should be something we can’t stop ourselves wanting to buy. We see it, we love it, picture it on our wrist, and start counting out the pennies until it’s ours. For that to happen, tech companies need to learn from the masters in Switzerland. Swiss watchmakers get it right because they understand that presentation, design, and — you’ve guessed it — desirability sells the product, not features. Yes, horologists will bang on about heritage and movements; but most people don’t really care. They care about it looking good, and making their heart beat a little faster. They want that all important dopamine fix.

A better question may be, when’s the last time you saw a smartwatch you wanted to buy at all?

I know only too well. I attended Baselworld 2017 earlier this year, where I saw hundreds of watches, both smart and analog. Of the many I saw, one in particular stayed in my mind. The Edox Chronorally wasn’t the most expensive I saw, or the cheapest; but it felt right when I handled it, and I adored the way it looked on my wrist. The color was “me,” it’s a limited edition which appeals to my inner collector, and it has just the right amount of tech-cool about it to keep me interested. After wearing it just for a few moments five months ago, I now own one. I got to choose the limited edition number, it arrived in a huge presentation box, and I have been treated as nothing but a valued customer by the company.

Have you seen a smartwatch and still wanted to buy it five months later? A better question may be, when’s the last time you saw a smartwatch you wanted to buy at all? The answer shouldn’t be never, because ultimately, a smartwatch and an analog watch are very closely related. We don’t need either, so we should be presented with ones we just desperately want. Tech companies need to chat more with Swiss watchmakers, and there’s plenty the Swiss watch industry can , so it’ll be a fair knowledge swap.

We’re getting closer

To me, there’s absolutely no good reason why a smartwatch can’t be a buying decision made with the heart. Made, designed, and marketed correctly, a carefully considered smartwatch has the same chance of success as any number of “proper” watches. Don’t start on about handing it down to future generations either. Fashion analog watches — from Swatch to Armani, by way of Diesel and Invicta — sell by the truck load, and arguably they have an equally limited “lifespan,” just due to the high-fashion design, rather than battery life.

Montblanc Summit

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Montblanc, Movado, Porsche Design, Louis Vuitton, and various other companies have made smartwatches. They’re fine, but they’re still pushing tech ahead of style. They’re also monstrously expensive for what is a relatively ordinary product. Where’s the excitement? I’m supposed to crave the joy of wearing one of these watches, not feel like I’m buying a new edition of Microsoft Office. I want Swiss style with a beautiful high resolution touchscreen, some sapphire glass, a properly stylish body, a selection of straps, and enough power to smoothly run the operating system. No pointless garnish, no rubbish software features. Spend the money on design and materials please. So far, only Tag Heuer comes close.

Cool designs, smashing presentation, and drop-dead good looks sell products. When we put them on and feel great, we associate that confidence with that device. It encourages us to wear it, and to buy another one in the future, often from the same company. GPS tracking and wrist-made contactless payments aren’t selling points for watches. They’re selling points for phones. The sooner tech companies understand this, the more people will be tempted to buy a smartwatch.

How to take a screenshot on the Galaxy Note 8

Learn it now, use it forever.

Being able to take a screenshot is one of the core competencies of using a smartphone. With the Galaxy Note 8 a screenshot becomes even more crucial, with its S Pen giving you all sorts of options for marking it up. Going a step further, the phone actually gives you a few different ways to capture a screenshot, whether you want to grab a small section of the screen, the whole screen, or even more than what you currently see. Here’s how to do every kind of screenshot on the Note 8.

How to take a one-page screenshot

Taking a single screenshot of your entire screen is simple enough. Samsung gives you two ways to do it.

Screenshot using a key combination

Open the content you wish to screenshot.
At the same time, press and hold both the power button and volume down button for two seconds.
You’ll see the screen flash, and the screenshot will briefly appear on the screen.
The screenshot will be instantly shareable, but also remain in your notifications and Gallery for sharing later.

Screenshot using a palm swipe

Open the content you wish to screenshot.
Place your hand vertically along the left or right edge of your Note 8, and swipe in from that edge with your hand touching the screen.

• If this method doesn’t work, check Settings > Advanced features to enable “Palm swipe to capture.”

You’ll see the screen flash, and the screenshot will briefly appear on the screen.
The screenshot will be instantly shareable, but also remain in your notifications and Gallery for sharing later.

Capture more

No matter how you initiate your screenshot, after capturing you’ll briefly see a set of options at the bottom of the screen, including “scroll capture.” This “scroll capture” button makes the phone scroll through the content shown on your screen and take multiple screenshots, which are automatically stitched together into one long screen showing everything together. This is particularly useful for capturing a full webpage, a set of directions or a long restaurant menu online.

Just tap “scroll capture” as many times as you want, and as soon as you’re done you can share, edit or save the screenshot just like any other.

Take a screenshot with the S Pen and Screen Write

If you’re inclined to take a screenshot and then get to work on it with your S Pen, you can do just that.

Open the content you wish to take a screenshot of.
Take out the S Pen to launch Air Command, tap on Screen Write.
The screen will flash and capture a single screenshot.
You’re now instantly taken to an editing pane, where you can write on the screen with the S Pen.
In the top toolbar, you’ll see options to change the color of your pen, enable an eraser and undo/redo your strokes.
When finished, tap Crop, Share or Save to complete your work.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 hands-on preview
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5: Which should you buy?
• Which Galaxy Note 8 color should you buy?
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

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Redbox deals with Sony and Lionsgate bring discs with no delay

This year Redbox is trying to make a resurgence, adding kiosks after a few years of shrinking availability. Of course, if it’s going to draw people in for disc rentals over streaming, it will need to provide the movies they’re looking for and renewed studio licensing deals will help make that happen. This week it renewed an agreement with Sony Pictures that secured its movies, once again, for rental at Redbox the same day they go on sale, while Lionsgate made a similar arrangement a couple of weeks ago. As Home Media Magazine notes, recent renewals with Warner and Fox bring their movies to the box a week after they go on sale, leaving Universal as the lone holdout still insisting on a 28-day window.

The simple fact is that physical media isn’t bringing in as much money as it used to, and studios are more flexible about methods that will keep people using discs instead of Netflix. Of course, Redbox still trails the availability of streaming video-on-demand in many cases, but it’s also much cheaper, at just $2 or so for a Blu-ray copy.

Source: PRNewswire, Redbox

Moto X4 passes through the FCC

The Motorola Moto X4 has passed through the FCC for certification.

The release of the Motorola Moto X4 is getting closer and closer, as the device has passed through the FCC for certification and compliance testing. Phones typically pass through the FCC a month or two before hitting store shelves, which lines up with rumors than the device will launch in the fourth quarter of this year.

9to5Google reports the specifications that are confirmed in the FCC listing. The U.S. version of the Moto X4 will feature a 5.2-inch 1080p AMOLED display, two 12-megapixel rear cameras, a 16-megapixel front facing camera, 64GB of internal storage plus a microSD card for expansion, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 3,000 mAh battery and USB-C for charging. And most importantly, the phone will include a 3.5mm headphone jack. There were earlier rumors that the device would include the more powerful Snapdragon 660 and a larger battery, but it seems this will not be the case. The phone will launch with Android 7.1.1 with Motorola’s minimal customizations on top.

The files on the FCC webpage are not currently able to be opened, so we do not know which antenna bands the phone will offer. One document relates to testing for LTE Band 26, which is used by Sprint as part of the carrier’s tri-band network aggregation. The Moto X4 is rumored to be the first non-Google phone that will officially work with Project Fi. This would be important for Project Fi users that were using the low-cost Nexus 5X that can’t or don’t want to shell out a large amount of money for a Pixel phone.

Are you interested in the Moto X4? Let us know down below!

Nike’s self-lacing HyperAdapt goes on sale again this weekend

If you’re still chasing the Marty McFly dream, Nike’s self-tightening shoe is coming around for the second time this weekend. While a few pairs of the $720 HyperAdapt 1.0 were available late last year, the company is rolling more out around the world over the next few months. That includes the original Black/White-Blue Lagoon color scheme, as well as a Black/White-Red Lagoon colorway that launches tomorrow. An online draw via the SNKRS app already passed, but interested parties can visit the NikeTown New York, Nike SoHo, Nike Chicago, The Grove, and Nike San Francisco locations this weekend to join a draw for a chance to purchase them.

Source: Nike, (2)

Are you ready to rumble? How to watch the Mayweather-McGregor fight online

If the McGregor vs. Mayweather press conferences haven’t been enough of a bloodbath for you, then you’ll want to watch the two finally duke it out in the ring in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 26th, at 6 p.m. PT on Showtime. Beyond the egos and money that will be gained and lost Saturday, the McGregor vs. Mayweather fight is going to be one the biggest televised fights in recent memory.

There’s a lot at stake for both contenders, and the Vegas odds are on Mayweather to take down McGregor without a problem, knocking down Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record. But if Mystic Mac can take down one of the best boxers in history, it’ll be a fight you wished you didn’t miss out on, so make sure you know how to watch the Mayweather-McGregor fight online before it starts. Also, have your credit card ready, ‘cause it’s going to cost you about 100 bucks no matter where you go.

Streaming Options

Showtime PPV

 

Showtime is making unprecedented moves with this fight, as it will be the first boxing event available on its newly minted pay-per-view website. Even though the fight itself is pricey, you won’t need a cable plan or Showtime subscription to purchase the fight, and you can watch it on any of the following devices. Keep in mind, though, if you buy the fight through Showtime’s PPV website, you’ll only be able to watch it on your computer. You can stream it on your tv via Apple TV.

• Windows
• MacOS
• Apple TV
• Apple iPhone (iOS 8 and later)
• Apple iPad (iOS 8 and later)

UFC TV

 

If you’re a McGregor fan, you’ve probably watched a few of his fights via UFC’s streaming options, available on a number of devices. There’s no charge to downloading the app, and if you’re not an Apple user and want to stream the fight easily on your TV through your Android device, this is your best option.

• Windows
• MacOS
• Xbox One
• Xbox 360
• Amazon Fire TV
• Apple iPhone (iOS 8 and later)
• Apple iPod Touch (iOS 8 and later)
• Apple iPad (iOS 8 and later)
• Apple TV
• Android phones (Android 4.0 and later)
• Android tablets (Android 4.0 and later)
• Google Chromecast
• Roku
• Samsung Smart TV
• LG Smart TV
• Sony TVs with Android TV

Sling TV PPV

Sling TV has become one of the more popular alternatives to ditching the cord, and every time a big event like this one comes around, the online streaming service seems to get more and more fans. Even though Sling TV is available on Apple devices, you won’t be able to purchase the fight via Sling’s iOS and Apple TV apps for some reason, but you can watch it on your Mac.

• Windows
• MacOS
• Android phones (Android 4.0 and later)
• Android tablets (Android 4.0 and later)
• Amazon Fire TV
• Android TV
• Chromecast (excluding people who are streaming through an iOS device)
• Roku
• Xbox One
• LeEco TV
• ZTE TV
• LG Smart TV
• Channel Master DVR

Essential Phone (PH-1) Review

Research Center:
Essential Phone (PH-1)

The Essential Phone, also named the Essential PH-1, is the new kid on the block. Much of the hype surrounding the phone’s launch is tied to Andy Rubin, the company’s founder who is also the creator of the Android mobile operating system. But the Essential PH-1 is shipping in a particularly challenging period: It’s facing stiff competition. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is here; the LG V30 launches next week; the highly-anticipated iPhone is mere weeks away; and Google’s successor to the critically acclaimed Pixel is also on the way. Can the creator of Android build the perfect Android phone, and chip away Samsung and Apple’s loyal fan base? In our Essential Phone review, we found the PH-1 comes close, but parts of it still feels like a work in progress.

Gorgeous design, brilliant display

Without a doubt, the Essential Phone is the most beautiful smartphone of 2017 so far. The body is made of titanium; the rear utilizes ceramic, which is soft and cool to the touch, and it eliminates the need for ugly antenna lines. There isn’t a logo anywhere on the phone, and the back is minimal and sleek.

There’s a dual-camera system on the back, but it doesn’t stick out of the phone, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus. The fingerprint sensor is centered below, in an easy-to-access position, and to the right you’ll find two silver pins — more on this later. The ceramic on the back does mean it’s a fingerprint magnet, though it’s not as bad as phones with glass backs. We still recommend carrying a microfiber cloth with you to keep it shiny.

The elegant mixture of titanium and ceramic certainly makes for a heavier-than-usual phone. Think of it like this: The Essential Phone is ever-so-slightly larger than a regular iPhone 7, but it weighs a little under 185 grams. The iPhone 7 weighs 138 grams. It’s not bulky or thick, but you will notice the phone’s weight.

We liked the added heft because it makes the phone feel more high-end. The titanium, coupled with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 on the front, means it should fare much better in drop tests over aluminum and all-glass phones.

The front is even more beautiful. Like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and now the Note 8, the Essential Phone goes for a “bezel-less” design with skimpy edges around the screen. There’s still a small chin on the bottom, but the top houses a little notch for the front-facing camera. We were initially skeptical of this design, thinking the front-camera notch would be distracting. It isn’t. In fact, it’s easy to forget it’s there. The software makes sure the notch never covers anything important, and the Android status bar utilizes the space well. We think it’s a gorgeous implementation, and we can’t stop staring at the screen.

Without a doubt, the Essential Phone is the most beautiful smartphone of 2017 so far.

The edge-to-edge design means you get far more screen real-estate within a reasonably sized frame. The Essential Phone is just a hair taller and a little wider than the regular iPhone 7, but you get a 5.7-inch screen instead of the iPhone’s 4.7-inch display. It feels compact, and comfortable in the hand.

Before diving into the screen, the Essential Phone’s power button and volume rocker are on the right edge, and they’re clicky and responsive. The SIM card slot is on the bottom, next to the USB Type-C charging port and speaker grill. Sadly, there is no headphone jack, but a 3.5mm to USB Type-C adapter is included in the box.

The 5.71-inch screen features a 2,560 x 1,312-pixel resolution and a 19:10 aspect ratio. We would have liked to see an AMOLED screen for inkier blacks, but the LCD display (more specifically CGS / LTPS) is incredibly vibrant and colorful. It doesn’t look overly saturated. The screen easily gets bright enough outdoors in direct sunlight, though some viewing angles are dim.

You’ll have a difficult time putting the Essential Phone down. Its crisp, large bezel-less screen will make you want to keep using your phone, and the device is compact enough to not feel cumbersome. Essential got the build materials, design, and the screen right on its first try.

Top-notch specs, pure Android

The Essential Phone has to have specifications that match other phones in its flagship category. You’ll find Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor powering the phone — it’s the same chipset in phones like the Galaxy S8, the Note 8, and the HTC U11.

It’s paired with 4GB of RAM, which should be plenty for multitasking, and there’s only one choice of storage: 128GB. There’s no MicroSD card slot, but 128GB should be plenty for most people.

We had no issues with performance whatsoever. Apps opened quickly, scrolling through social media and the web didn’t pose any stutters or issues, and multitasking felt fluid. Here are a few benchmark results:

• AnTuTu: 157,705
• Geekbench 4: 1,904 single core, 6,250 multi-core
• 3DMark Slingshot Extreme: 3,037

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S8’s AnTuTu score is 155,253, and the HTC U11 scored 175,748. Benchmarks aren’t the be-all end-all of performance, but expect the same speedy performance as other flagship Android phones.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Essential Phone runs pure Android, offering almost the same software experience found on the Google Pixel. It’s currently on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, but we have already confirmed it will soon be receiving the recently-launched Android 8.0 Oreo. This barebones OS, without an onslaught of gimmicky features or bloatware, is likely why we’re seeing such smooth performance.

The Snapdragon 835, of course, is no slouch either. Graphically-intensive games like Nascar Heat and Burrito Bison performed flawlessly without a hitch. You won’t have problems with performance on this phone.

Near Field Communication (NFC) is on-board, which means you can make contactless payments with Android Pay, or even share content between two Android phones via Android Beam. The phone also uses the new Bluetooth 5 standard, which offers faster data transfer speeds and improved range. There’s support for lot of networks and bands, so wherever you are the in the world the phone should automatically attempt to use the fastest network available.

Sadly, the Essential Phone has no water resistance. The Galaxy S8 and Note 8, LG G6, iPhone 7, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, and plenty of other phones in this price range feature IP67 or IP68 dust- and water-resistance. This should have been a feature on the PH-1. The lack of a MicroSD card is a shame, but there are plenty of other phones that do not feature one and offer less storage; and while the 3.5mm to USB-C adapter is handy, we still mourn the loss of the headphone jack.

A modular system

Like Motorola’s Moto Z smartphone series, the Essential PH-1 is also a modular phone. It’s why there are two silver pins on the back of the phone. Motorola’s approach uses 16 pogo pins on the back of its Moto Z smartphones, and the Moto Mod, like a 360-degree camera, magnetically snaps onto the back of the phone. Mods can enhance the capabilities of your phone. Data is transferred through these pogo pins, and they are powered by the phone.

The only mod available at launch is an incredibly small 360-degree camera.

The problem? Motorola has to maintain the same design and size of the smartphone so it can ensure these Moto Mods will continue to work at least for a few years. It’s why the Moto Z2 Force has almost the same dimensions as the original Moto Z Force. The Moto Mods are also very large, taking up the same size of the phone, and it can be cumbersome to carry more than one.

The two pins on the Essential Phone are not for transferring data. Mods connect magnetically and will draw power through the pins, but data is transferred wirelessly. The mods are not large, and the use of two pins means the company can continue using the same mods, but still change the design and size of its future phones.

The only mod available at launch is an incredibly small 360-degree camera. We haven’t had a chance to test it yet, but Essential’s implementation looks far better than Motorola’s approach. A wireless charging mod will be coming later on, and the company expects to launch a mod per quarter. We’ll have to wait and see if it can deliver.

A frustrating camera

Dual rear camera setups aren’t new with high-end smartphones, and the Essential Phone doesn’t particularly have any original features. Like Huawei’s Leica-branded P10 smartphone, one lens shoots in true black and white, while the other shoots in color. Essential said photographs are captured using both lenses as they “can capture up to 200 percent more light” than traditional phone cameras.

Both cameras have 13-megapixels each, with apertures of f/1.85. The results are surprisingly detailed, with great color accuracy. The Mono mode lets you shoot exclusively in black and white, and it’s a lot of fun. We’ve had no problems with photos in good lighting, but low-light environments mean your photos will look really grainy. The camera can feel too barebones, because its only main features are the Mono mode and recently-added HDR. Essential says it will add a Portrait Mode later on, but there’s no manual, exposure slider, or burst mode.

While the results can be great, the camera experience is not good at all. Shutter lag is the main problem. When you tap the shutter icon the photo doesn’t capture instantaneously … it takes a second. There’s no optical image stabilization, so this makes photos incredibly blurry. You need to stay perfectly still, even after tapping the shutter icon, to make sure the photo is not blurry.

There have been several moments the camera said it’s unable to take a photo, and I’ve had to force close the camera app and restart it. Even after successfully taking a photo, accessing it from the camera app can be laggy, and sluggish. There’s no automatic HDR function, so you always have to remember to turn it on if you want to use it. If it’s on, it will turn off if you switch between mono and color modes. The flash often doesn’t remember that I want it turned off at all times. I’ve been surprised two times by the flash because it refused to stay off.

We informed Essential about the camera issues we’ve had, and the company said a software update is on the way to fix these issues. No timeline was shared.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The 8-megapixel front camera is solid and can take good selfies, but it’s nothing notable.

Again, the output of the rear camera is solid. We’ll continue to test it, especially if the overall camera experience becomes a little less frustrating.

Daylong battery life

While the results can be great, the camera experience is not good at all.

Initially, we saw poor battery life with the PH-1. The phone frequently was around 17 percent or less around 6 p.m., which is not satisfactory. After some digging, I found the culprit was Nokia Home Cam, a companion app to my Nokia security camera. It was draining the battery far more than anything else, so I uninstalled it.

Battery life has since improved significantly. The Essential Phone has a 3,040mAh battery capacity, and it lasts no more than a day. Starting at 8 a.m., with medium to heavy usage including browsing the web, taking lots of photos, watching a few YouTube videos, and playing a game, the battery reached 30 percent by 6 p.m. Thankfully, the phone supports fast-charging so it doesn’t take long to get fully recharged.

Warranty, pricing and availability

Essential offers a limited warranty, where the company will replace or refund the cost of the phone if it suffers any manufacturing defects one year from the date of purchase. It does not cover damage from accidental drops or water damage.

The Essential Phone comes unlocked and is compatible with all U.S. carriers, but it will set you back $700 (for 128GB of storage). The only carrier that’s selling the device is Sprint. Essential is running a limited time promotion where you can get the phone and the 360-degree camera mod for $750 (the camera mod costs $200 separately). Only the black model is currently available, as the white version is still listed as “coming soon.”

Essential Phone (PH-1) Compared To

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom

Moto Z2 Play

LG G6

Motorola Moto E4

Huawei Honor 8 Pro

HTC U Ultra

Meizu Pro 6 Plus

ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe Special…

LG V20

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

HTC 10

Huawei Nexus 6P

LG V10

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Our Take

The Essential Phone is a great first phone from Andy Rubin’s company. It nails design, performance, and software, but falls short with the camera. There’s a lot unproven, too. We don’t know how good the company’s customer support will be, how reliably it will ship units, and whether or not it will indeed follow through with more mods. Essential announced it will also launch a Home product that works with its phone and accessories, but we haven’t heard much about it since the original announcement.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, plenty. While the Essential Phone performs well in certain categories, it doesn’t have all the features you may expect in a phone of its price. There is no waterproofing, for starters, nor do the cameras feature optical image stabilization. Phones from Samsung and LG offer MicroSD card slots and headphone jacks, but you’ll find neither here.

For a similar $700 price tag, the Galaxy S8 is a great alternative as it has many of the same hardware specifications. The Google Pixel is still one of our favorite Android smartphones, and it comes in a little cheaper at $650 — do note, a successor is on the way. Finally, there’s always the OnePlus 5, which offers equally strong performance and a great camera for just $480. Check out our guide to the best smartphones for more.

How long will it last?

The Essential Phone runs pure Android, and the fact that the creator of Android founded the company, we expect the phone to get fast version and security updates. Essential has already been confirmed by Google to get Android 8.0 Oreo soon. Expect the phone to receive version updates for two years, and security updates for a little longer. The device itself should continue to perform well for three to four years.

In terms of durability, the titanium body should protect the phone’s edges from accidental drops. While the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, it can still shatter just like any other smartphone. The Essential Phone is not waterproof, so be careful not to drop it in the pool.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Essential Phone gets so much right, but most importantly it’s a joy to use. Our biggest gripe with it right now is the camera experience, but if a promised software update fixes it, then we’ll update our score. Buy this phone if you care about fast Android version and security updates, and a pure Android experience. You also get a phone with an excellent build quality and materials, with super-fast performance and decent battery life. If you’re looking for more camera features and overall a more reliable smartphone camera, we recommend either waiting to see if the software update from Essential delivers, or purchasing another smartphone such as the Google Pixel or Galaxy S8.

Essential Phone is facing shipping delays, but the company is promising a swift resolution

Users who bought the Essential phone are now faced with shipping delays.

The Essential Phone was announced near the end of May, with the promise the device would ship sometime in June. June and July came and went, and last week, Essential announced the phone was finally available for purchase from its own site and retail partners. However, the saga is not yet over.

Numerous Android Central forum users are reporting that they have not received shipping notices, despite Essential’s promises that the device would ship within seven days of purchase. Essential is using a third party service, Affirm, to handle the shipping and customer service for the device. Some users have had luck with Affirm, while others are unable to contact the company to cancel their orders. Our one and only Mr. Mobile tried and failed to cancel his order for a few days before getting the cancellation processed.

Meanwhile, users that preordered from Best Buy are reporting that they are not expecting to receive the device until September 8. Best Buy’s website lists September 8 for the shipping date right now, so buying the phone straight from Essential will still probably be faster.

We’re beginning to ship Essential Phone! Please look out for an e-mail today with tracking info. We appreciate everyone’s patience!

— Essential (@essential) August 25, 2017

Essential acknowledged the shipping issues in a tweet and said orders would be shipping soon. We will update this article if users begin receiving tracking information.

Are you waiting on your Essential Phone? Let us know down below!

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Essential Phone review by MrMobile

The stated goal of Essential Products is to make technology easier and more accessible, and it’s got an ambitious roadmap of devices planned to help it achieve that end. But its first product, the Essential Phone, fits better into the extended definition of the word: this is a phone that tries to get down to the brass tacks, the bare fundamentals of what a smartphone should be. The result is a beautiful ceramic-and-titanium slab unlike any Android phone produced to date, running the very purest of software and positively packed with potential – but its undercooked camera features enough flaws to put the whole package in jeopardy.

Click on through to the Essential Phone Review by MrMobile, and be sure to check out Android Central’s own Essential Phone Review for the deeper dive on this one-of-a-kind device!

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Oxygen OS 4.1.7 rolling out to the OnePlus 3 and 3T

The OnePlus 3 and 3T have been updated with bug fixes and security patches.

While the company has since released the OnePlus 5, OnePlus is still committed to taking care of users of the OnePlus 3 and 3T. To that end, OnePlus has begun rolling out Oxygen OS 4.1.7 to the 3 and 3T, bringing some welcome improvements.

Most importantly, the phones are now on the August 2017 security patch, up from the May 2017 patch. There are also unnamed battery optimizations and the system as a whole should feel more fluid. I received the update today, and navigating the interface does feel a bit snappier.

As for bug fixes, OnePlus fixed an issue with its App Locker service, which is designed to keep certain applications locked behind a PIN or password. Even better, it seems OnePlus has patched an exploit that would bypass the app locker. The device will also not require Google Hangouts to be installed.

While making the phone more secure is always a top priority, I’m disappointed that the UI OnePlus has been using in the beta software track for the 3 and 3T (as well as on the OnePlus 5) has still not made its way to the stable build for the two devices. Similarly, the apt-X Bluetooth codec is still only available in the beta track, as is a rather cool feature that will let users run two instances of the same application. While I don’t mind using beta software, the OxygenOS Open Betas always give me issues with Bluetooth, so I can’t use it on a daily driver. I’d love for the new UI to finally get released to the stable track for the 3 and 3T.

Have you received the latest version of OxygenOS? Let us know down below!

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