Android co-founder launches smartphone to compete with iPhone, Galaxy S8

Android creator Andy Rubin has launched a new high-end smartphone to take on tech giants Apple and Samsung.

Rubin’s company, Essential Products, unveiled its first smartphone that combines some of the best specs from major mobile phone makers into one device. The Essential Phone features edge-to-edge bezel less displays similar to what we saw on the Xiaomi Mi Mix. The new display shows that Essential aims to compete with tech giant Samsung which also released minimal bezel flagship, the S8, this year.



The Essential Phone also has a good take on dual-camera systems made popular by the iPhone Plus. However, the two sensors on the back are combined to deliver better picture in low light conditions and not used for optical zoom as we saw on the iPhone. Essential has also wrapped the screen around the front facing camera, something not seen on other smartphones.



In addition to this, the new device also attempts to bring back modularity to smartphones and features magnetic connectors at the back that can be used to add accessories such as the 360 degree camera and charging dock.



Essential is also taking its phone one step further by building it around a titanium and ceramic case which is expected to make it much more durable than other flagship devices currently available. The company also backed this up with a drop test video showing the phone emerge from a drop absolutely unscathed.



The company is offering some of the best internals with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel dual rear camera coupled with an 8-megapixel selfie cam, a fingerprint sensor on the back, 128GB of storage, a 3,040mAh battery.

The new smartphone will cost $699 and its shipping date will be announced in the next few weeks.