Sure, the Essential Phone was essentially Andy Rubin’s company’s first ever attempt at producing a high end Android powered mobile device, so it may not be that surprising to see a few drawbacks. But the smartphone industry is an unforgiving place, and if a particular handset offers even just a small hint of “not good enough” in the minds of consumers, it could spell the difference between a hit release and a flop.
Of course, the Essential Phone is far from being a flop, but one can argue that it could have done better, too -- especially when one considers that Rubin is widely considered as the father of Android. The device actually has impressive specifications, but many agree that its camera was a bit wanting, at least when compared to other smartphones within a similar price range.
As told to Business Insider, Linda Jiang, the head of design at Essential, has effectively admitted that, yup, Rubin’s team of tech wizards need to get the Essential Phone’s camera specs right, if they expect the flagship to compete well with the Samsungs and Apples of the world. Basically, she promised that the next generation Essential Phone will do better next time, especially with regards to the camera features.
What exactly is the deal with the Essential Phone’s camera? Well, the most common feedback revolves around the absence of key features like HDR, and a lacking performance when it comes to capturing images in low light conditions. Essential did eventually roll out several firmware updates, but they did not quite fully address the low light photos and auto focus speed. Moreover, the smartphone never quite managed to adequately create an ecosystem of modules, such as a 360 degree camera that can be snapped on, plus a home speaker that was hinted at but never delivered.
The combination of those factors has helped paint a picture of the Essential Phone as a premium smartphone that is simply not quite there yet. It is a bit of a shame because Essential actually managed to enjoy support from Sprint, the fourth biggest wireless carrier in America. While it is true that the company did some good in trying to coax some excitement for the Essential Phone, mainly by way of some generous price cuts and the introduction of three new colors (plus a surprise one), its efforts were ultimately not enough to pry people’s eyes away from the sheen of Samsung’s and Apple’s brands. Still, 2018 is a new year for Essential, and if it can deliver and wow people with improved specs for its Essential Phone, it stands a better chance of turning prospective buyers into loyal fans.
