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Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

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Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#71
What is it with these companies putting the latest SnapDragon CPUs in their mobile devices?

No one cares about CPU performance. I've got a SD820 now in my Axon 7, and I can tell you there is 0 difference with a SD625 in daily use.

Except that the SD625 is cheaper and has an incredible battery life.

The only company realising that people care about UX in stead of specs seems to be Xiaomi. Consistently choosing SD625 and SD660 for their phones, because it is clear that any CPU can pull a phone.

And let's be honest. No one cares about mobile VR.

I'll take SD625 and 5000mAh battery over SD835 and 6GB RAM any day.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#73
Well, I like the 'no logo' and the open software features. The other stuff looks more or less like a normal flagship smartphone nowadays (yes I like the 360° camera too, but it is not essential). The things that I am missing:

- replaceable battery

- SD card slot

- wireless charging

Those three are all essential to the lifetime of the phone. Storage requirements may change, batteries and power connectors may wear off.

I still use my 5 old Samsung S3 which has all those features (with updated Software). While I am willing to pay for a newer model (better camera, faster processor, etc.), I can't find a phone that promises an equal longevity.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#74
post #65

It doesn't seem premium Android phones have something spectacular to differentiate. Sure, you can spice up the camera, make the body more glossy, and add a beautiful screen. But the software is just another commodity that would be available for 1/3rd the price. That's why Google Pixel would always feel exorbitant even when the price is almost close to Apple iPhone. Seeing Essential's price tag, I have the same viscer…

I just want a phone that: - Lasts a full day - Looks nice That's all. Currently I can buy various 8mm phones with various bad-to-OK cases. Give me a beautiful 16mm phone and software updates and I'll give you my 700 bucks.

You can buy an external case for the iPhone which fits this description, e.g. at http://mophie.com (I have no relation to that site).

I'd be happy to sell you one for 700 bucks. Looks like an easy way to make a few hundred dollar profit :)

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#75
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow what? A space that needs more competition? Android phones???

The high-end smartphone market is dominated by Apple, with Samsung a very distant second.

And Essential is going to change that and get more market share than Samsung or even Apple?

Please.

There are tons of great choices of Android high-end devices available from Google itself, from LG, Xiaomi, Huawei, htc, even from OnePlus, you name it. Good to have onemore choice with Essential now.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#78
Interested to see if Sprint and Verizon will support this on their networks. The phone supports all the needed bands, it more a business decision on the CDMA carrier side to certify it.

The rumors from a few months ago said Sprint was onboard, we'll see if that panes out.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#79

Interested to see if Sprint and Verizon will support this on their networks. The phone supports all the needed bands, it more a business decision on the CDMA carrier side to certify it. The rumors from a few months ago said Sprint was onboard, we'll see if that panes out.

What do you mean by "support"? Do they really get to tell you that you can't use a device even though it supports the standard their network uses? (I'm clueless of how things work with these carriers.)

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#80

What is it with these companies putting the latest SnapDragon CPUs in their mobile devices? No one cares about CPU performance. I've got a SD820 now in my Axon 7, and I can tell you there is 0 difference with a SD625 in daily use. Except that the SD625 is cheaper and has an incredible battery life. The only company realising that people care about UX in stead of specs seems to be Xiaomi. Consistently choosing SD625 a…

I had a Xiaomi Mi 4i which had a SD615, thinking "how bad can it be". Turns out, it was painfully slow to use; no match at all to the vanilla Mi 4 with a SD801.

Maybe the current generation is different, but I got a Mi 5 (SD820) and haven't looked back. The battery life is fine, enough to last a full day with lots of spare capacity.

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