Essential Products
{{Short description|American technology company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use list-defined references|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Essential Products Inc.
| logo = File:Essential logo.svg
| image =
| type = Private
| founded = {{start date and age|2015|11|9}}
| founders = {{plainlist|
}}
| defunct = {{start date and age|2020|2|12}}
| hq_location = 380 Portage Avenue
| hq_location_city = Palo Alto, CA 94306
| key_people = Niccolo De Masi (president and chief operating officer)
| industry = Technology
| products = Essential Phone
Essential Home
| parent = Nothing (company)
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20200213094406/https://www.essential.com/ www.essential.com]
}}
Essential Products (marketed as Essential) was an American technology company and manufacturer founded on November 9, 2015, by Andy Rubin and based in Palo Alto. The company developed, manufactured, and sold Essential Phone and accessories for it, including 360 Camera for Essential Phone. The company closed on February 12, 2020, stating that it was developing a new handset, but that there was "no clear path to deliver it to customers".{{Cite news|last1=Wakabayashi|first1=Daisuke|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/technology/andy-rubin-essential-shutdown.html|title=Andy Rubin's Start-Up, Essential Products, Shuts Down|date=2020-02-12|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-02-17|last2=Griffith|first2=Erin|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{cite web|url=https://www.essential.com/blog/essential-update|title=An Update from Essential|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212183019/https://www.essential.com/blog/essential-update|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=dead|website=Essential|language=en-EN|access-date=2020-02-17}}
History
File:2008 Google Developer Day in Japan - Andy Rubin.jpg
The company was established in Palo Alto on November 9, 2015, by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, with funding from Playground Global. In December 2016, Brian Wallace, who left his occupation as chief marketing officer for Magic Leap a month prior, was reportedly working with Rubin. Trademarks with the 'Essential' brand name were also filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that same month.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/13/14267300/android-andy-rubin-interview-new-company-essential|title=Android's co-founder is building a new company and a new kind of smartphone|last=Welch|first=Chris|date=January 13, 2017|work=The Verge|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612023908/https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/13/14267300/android-andy-rubin-interview-new-company-essential|archive-date=June 12, 2017|url-status=live}}
In January 2017, it was reported that the new company was planning to unofficially reveal a smartphone.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-13/andy-rubin-nears-his-comeback-complete-with-an-essential-phone|title=Andy Rubin Nears His Comeback, Complete With an 'Essential' Phone|last1=Gurman|first1=Mike|date=January 13, 2017|work=Bloomberg Technology|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729214804/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-13/andy-rubin-nears-his-comeback-complete-with-an-essential-phone|archive-date=July 29, 2017|url-status=live|last2=Bergen|first2=Mike}} In March, Rubin released an image that teased the unannounced smartphone on his Twitter account.{{Cite tweet |number=846396881668210688 |user=Arubin |title=I'm really excited about how this is shaping up. Eager to get it in more people's hands... |author=Andy Rubin |author-link=Andy Rubin |date=March 27, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170328153240/https://twitter.com/Arubin/status/846396881668210688 |archive-date=March 28, 2017 |url-status=live}} On May 25, the company teased a second image of the smartphone on its Twitter account.{{Cite tweet |number=867842387455877120 |user=essential |title=We heard you @renan_batista - here's something to hold you over until next week: |author=Essential |author-link=Essential Products |date=May 25, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170814231507/https://twitter.com/essential/status/867842387455877120 |archive-date=August 14, 2017 |url-status=live}} On May 30, the company announced both the smartphone, dubbed the Essential Phone, and its smart speaker, Essential Home.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/30/andy-rubin-announces-his-new-essential-smartphone-to-compete-with-the-iphone/|title=Andy Rubin announces his new Essential smartphone to compete with the iPhone|last=Lee|first=Seung|date=May 30, 2017|work=The Mercury News|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530223953/http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/30/andy-rubin-announces-his-new-essential-smartphone-to-compete-with-the-iphone/|archive-date=May 30, 2017|url-status=live}}
In August 2017, it was reported that Amazon, Tencent and Foxconn have invested in Essential Products.{{Cite web|url=http://techstory.in/essential-phone-funding-2017/|title=Essential Phones Get $300 Million Boost from Amazon, Tencent Holdings - TechStory|date=August 10, 2017|work=TechStory|access-date=August 10, 2017|language=en-US}}{{cite web|title=Essential Products Receives Funding from Amazon and Tencent|url=https://www.xda-developers.com/essential-products-300-million-amazon/|website=xda-developers|access-date=August 10, 2017|date=August 10, 2017|last=Lynch|first=Doug}}
In August 2017, the company was valued as a unicorn.{{cite web|title=Andy Rubin's Essential is now valued at over a billion dollars without shipping a single phone|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/8/14/16142772/andy-rubin-essential-phone-valuation-billion-dollars-unicorn-value|website=The Verge|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814181258/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/8/14/16142772/andy-rubin-essential-phone-valuation-billion-dollars-unicorn-value|archive-date=August 14, 2017}}
On May 25, 2018, the company cancelled its next flagship and was reported to be for sale.[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-24/andy-rubin-s-phone-maker-essential-is-said-to-consider-sale Android Creator Puts Essential Up for Sale, Cancels Next Phone - Bloomberg]{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardwindsoreurope/2018/07/17/essential-phone-on-amazon-is-another-signal-that-end-is-close-for-essential-products-inc/ |title=Essential Phone On Amazon Is Another Signal That End Is Close For Essential Products Inc. |last=Windsor |first=Richard |date=June 17, 2018 |work=Forbes |access-date=August 6, 2018 }}
In December 2018, Essential acquired CloudMagic, owner of the mobile email app Newton.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/7/18130853/essential-cloudmagic-newton-email-app-company|title=Instead of making a new phone, Essential has bought a defunct email app|last=Liao|first=Shannon|date=December 7, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=December 8, 2018}}
In October 2019, Essential teased an upcoming replacement for the PH-1 called the 'Gem'. This device would have a much more slender form factor than its predecessor, would rely mostly on voice control, and would utilize advanced AI for processing the voice control input.{{cite tweet|number=1181734328130252802|user=essential|title=We've been working on a new device to...|date=October 9, 2019}}
But, the new product never hit the market, as on February 12, 2020, the company announced that it was ceasing operations because there was "no clear way to deliver ['Gem'] to customers".
On February 17, 2021, the brand was bought by Carl Pei's Nothing Start up.{{Cite web|last=Seifert|first=Dan|date=2021-02-15|title=Nothing now has one thing|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/15/22284363/nothing-company-essential-brand-acquisition-news|access-date=2021-03-09|website=The Verge|language=en}}
Products
=Essential Phone=
{{main article|Essential Phone}}
File:Essential Phone in ocean depths.jpg
The Essential Phone is a phone introduced in 2017. The device is upgradable to Android 10, and was only sold in the United States and Canada. The device will not receive any software updates, including security patches, after February 3, 2020, due to the company going out of business.
= Newton Mail =
{{Main|Newton (app)}}
In early 2019 Essential Products acquired CloudMagic, Inc., developers of the Newton Mail app, which shut down in September 2018. Newton Mail restored services shortly after being acquired. Newton shut down on April 30, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/02/12/breaking-essential-is-dead-and-so-are-updates-to-essential-phone/|title=Breaking: Essential is dead, and so are updates to Essential Phone|date=2020-02-12|website=Android Police|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-17}}
= Undelivered Products =
Project GEM was a prototype of a second phone developed by Essential Products Inc. It was announced in a company blog post on October 9, 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.essential.com/blog/introducing-project-gem|title=Introducing Project GEM|website=Essential|language=en-EN|access-date=2020-02-17|archive-date=February 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212185406/https://www.essential.com/blog/introducing-project-gem|url-status=dead}} and cancelled three months later, on February 12, 2020, in coincidence with the shutdown of Essential.
Essential Home was a planned smart speaker and smart home hub running an Essential-designed operating system, named "Ambient OS".{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/products/essential-home/preview/|title=Android inventor's Echo competitor will choreograph your home|date=May 30, 2017|website=CNET|publisher=CBS Interactive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530184547/https://www.cnet.com/products/essential-home/preview/|archive-date=May 30, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=May 30, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/5/30/15711162/ambient-os-essential-home-andy-rubin|title=This is the new Ambient OS, Essential's big bet to control your home|last=Patel|first=Nilay|date=May 30, 2017|work=The Verge|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530105823/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/5/30/15711162/ambient-os-essential-home-andy-rubin|archive-date=May 30, 2017|url-status=live|publisher=Vox Media}} The device launch was planned for late 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/30/essential-home-an-android-echo-competitor-announced.html|title=The inventor of Android is launching an Amazon Echo competitor|last=Haselton|first=Todd|date=May 30, 2017|work=CNBC|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530152408/http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/30/essential-home-an-android-echo-competitor-announced.html|archive-date=May 30, 2017|url-status=live|publisher=NBCUniversal}}{{Cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2017/05/30/essential-home/|title=Andy Rubin's new smart assistant wants to control your home|last=Lobo|first=Freia|date=May 30, 2017|work=Mashable|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609134744/http://mashable.com/2017/05/30/essential-home/|archive-date=June 9, 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/30/will-essential-home-be-more-than-another-dumb-smart-home-hub/|title=Will Essential Home be more than another dumb smart home hub?|last=Heater|first=Brian|date=May 30, 2017|work=TechCrunch|access-date=May 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531124720/https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/30/will-essential-home-be-more-than-another-dumb-smart-home-hub/|archive-date=May 31, 2017|url-status=live|publisher=AOL}} however it never arrived on the market.
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCjjnVNXDLI|title=Andy Rubin, creator of Android, debuts his new Essential Phone | Code 2017|work=Recode|others=Hosted by Walt Mossberg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531124742/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCjjnVNXDLI|archive-date=May 31, 2017}}
}}
Category:2015 establishments in California
Category:2020 disestablishments in California
Category:American companies established in 2015
Category:American companies disestablished in 2020
Category:Companies based in Palo Alto, California
Category:Computer companies established in 2015
Category:Computer companies disestablished in 2020
Category:Defunct computer companies based in California
Category:Defunct computer hardware companies
Category:Mobile phone manufacturers
Category:Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area