The Essential PH-1 has generated a lot of action in the world of smartphones since its launch yesterday. The thin bezel display with that unique front camera housing inside the confines of the display and a modular attachment provision at the back has been drawing geeky eyeballs all over the world. However, not much was revealed by Essential regarding its mode of sale and the software it is bound to use. But, shortly after the phone’s unveiling, Andy Rubin gave us some hints about the software in an interview at the Code Conference.
Essential would ship the PH-1 with a near-stock version of Android Nougat. Rubin indicated that Essential is not interested in providing loads of customisation options on the PH-1. He believes that stock Android is good enough to handle this premium phone’s computing duties and he sees little value in changing the interface or adding a bunch of duplicate apps outside “the same amount of Google stuff”.
This means that unlike the OnePlus smartphones, which provide an immense amount of customisation options to tinker, the Essential PH-1 will focus on the core Android experience and will try to be closer to something like the expired Google Nexus smartphone. This could be a surprise for fans of stock Android who want their phones to provide them with the purest stock-Android experience.
Commenting on the Essential PH-1’s availability, Rubin said that he plan to move beyond online-only sales and into the typical carrier and retail channels soon. Selling phones in partnership with carriers means that his intention of a near-stock Android experience could be affected as US carriers tend to add their own apps into a smartphone’s software. However, Rubin said that Essential is trying hard to have a pro-consumer product where the user gets to decide what's on his/her phone.
The PH-1 is not on sale as of now, there’s a reserve system of signing up to submit the full $699 asking price and wait for the phone’s delivery date, which is still unknown. However, if you have made up your mind for the PH-1, Rubin says that they are working hard to deliver the first lot within 30 days.
