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Here is some good news for owners of the Essential Phone -- Essential has recently posted a tweet this week saying that Google’s Android 8.1 Oreo mobile operating system should now be available for installation. It is fair to say that the phablet has had an interesting Android update history -- it was previously on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, but due to some issues related to system stability that were discovered about a couple of months ago, Essential had decided to skip getting the Android 8.0 Oreo altogether.
The Essential Phone may have been developed by the so-called father of Android, Andy Rubin, but the device has had a challenging first year keeping up with the fierce competition. While the handset offered some promising specifications, the sum of its parts did not readily translate into big sales. Back in October of last year, Essential had to lower its flagship’s pricing to just $499 (from the original $700), but it is not clear yet if that move was enough to convince people to choose the device over similarly priced rivals like the OnePlus 5T or Motorola’s Moto X4.
To Essential’s credit, it has been busy in the last three months drumming some excitement for the Essential Phone. Nearly a month ago, the phone maker announced three new limited edition colors for the device (Copper Black, Ocean Depths, and Stellar Gray). Then immediately soon after, the company also revealed a surprise fourth new color -- Halo Gray.
And behind the scenes, it seems that Rubin’s crew is busying themselves with what they do best -- continuing to push the envelope when it comes to mobile technology. Indeed, the mobile manufacturer is reported to be working on a number of patents related to integrating a camera directly behind the smartphone screen.
As described in one of the patents, the new technology basically involved a multi-layered screen with camera that comes with a significantly transparent layer that should let in light in order for the camera to capture an image. An alternative method is also referred to in a separate patent, wherein the smartphone’s screen is hollowed out, presumably to allow space for a lens to be mounted.
For any mobile tech enthusiast, these are exciting developments to be sure, but it is worth mentioning that not all patents eventually make their way into real life products that are commercially available for consumers. In other words, it is quite possible that the technology described in the patents may not even see the light of day. But one can hope, right?
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