The Creator of the Android is set to make the headlines again with his new smartphone from his company“Essential.” Andy Rubin after leaving the Google two years ago is preparing to take on the smartphone industry.
Andy Rubin founded Android in 2003 and Google has acquired it in 2005 before the official launch of the first version of OS in 2008. Rubin worked as the Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content until March 2013. After nine years at the company, Rubin left Google on 2014 to start an incubator for hardware startups.
Essential started with 40 member team poached from Alphabet’s Google and Apple. He plans to head as CEO in his new company. The company was registered as Essential Products Inc with California regulators in November 2015.
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In a filing with California regulators, Rubin’s startup listed smartphones, tablets and mobile software, but according to the sources, the Essential’s first product will be the center of a whole suite of connected products.
According to the revealed information, the smartphone consists of large edge-to-edge screen with the lack of surrounding bezel. Rubin’s phone screen is larger than iPhone 7 Plus but with a smaller overall footprint. In CES at Las Vegas, Rubin has already discussed the smartphone with mobile carrier executives.
The startup is working on enabling the screen to sense different levels of pressure like iPhone. The team is testing an industrial design with metal edges and a back made of ceramics, which manufacture is complicated than a typical smartphone.
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Essential is working on a version of Apple’s 3D Touch and developing its magnetic charging and accessories connector which will allow the device to add aftermarket hardware features.
It is not clear whether the devices will run on the Android OS or not. Essential products mainly focused on quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
The smartphone will be on sale as early as June 2017 with a price close to iPhone7. The company is in talks with Foxconn to build the new device.
