Essential smartphone unveiled by inventor of Android software – and it looks VERY strange
Gadget comes with a bizarre camera which looks like a submarine periscope
IT sometimes seems like every new smartphone looks a lot like its predecessor.
But the inventor of Android software, which powers millions of phones, has unveiled a new gadget that looks very original indeed.
At first glance, the "Essential" phone just looks like every phone released since Apple's iPhone set the template.
However, the Essential is designed to be "modular", which means owners can add new bits of hardware to change its function.
One of the most striking features is a 360-degree camera which resembles the periscope of a submarine and will shoot cool panoramic photos.
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The gadget was dreamed up by a team led by Andy Rubin, who sold Android to Google in 2005.
Rubin decided to rejoin the mobile market during a night out with a friend.
He said he was inspired to create a new phone after realising that Android had become clunky and overcomplicated.
"As the night went on we inevitably began talking about what we didn't like about the current state of technology," he wrote.
"Less and less choice. More and more unnecessary features cluttering our lives.
"An increasing sea of products that didn't work with one another.
"And just when I was about to drop another criticism it hit me: I am partly responsible for all of this."
- Model Name: Essential PH-1
- Materials: Titanium body, ceramic back and covering made from Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Weight: 185 grams
- Display Resolution: 2560 x 1312 QHD
- Screen: 10 finger multitouch with "palm and water-error rejection".
- Fingerprint reader: Uses "fastest available technology".
- Microphone: 4x microphones with noise cancellation.
- Rear Camera: 13MP Dual RGB and Mono camera.
- Front Camera: 8MP resolution.
- Battery: 3040mAh. Fast charging via USB.
- Memory & Storage: 4GB RAM and 128 GB drive storage.
He added: "After another long talk with my friend we decided that I needed to start a new kind of company using 21st-century methods to build products for the way people want to live in the 21st century."Rubin said the Essential was designed so it didn't go out of date every year, like competitors' models.
He made sure it came with an open system so it can be customised with users and "play well" with other devices.
"Premium materials and true craftsmanship shouldn’t be just for the few,"; he added.
"Technology should assist you so that you can get on with enjoying your life.
"Simple is always better."
The Essential phone and its 360 camera accessory are currently being sold at an introductory price of £582 ($749)
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