Years after a canned release, someone got hold of a prototype of Essential’s unreleased PH-2 phone, which looks bizarrely unique.
.@essentialhey guys i think you dropped somethingpic.twitter.com/CIYxUHn9it
Even though not all its features work, the device is still usable. Rob could install apps, use the camera, and show Essential’s unique skin that runs on top of the Android 10 operating system.
The narrow form factor of the device makes it look more like a remote control than a phone. It has an AMOLED screen and a weird aspect ratio of 2160×560, making running regular apps challenging. Even in the video, Rob shows web apps instead of regular Android applications, such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more.
The comment section on this YouTube video is filled with people reacting to the design. A user named @worthless_opinion called it the “Best TV remote ever.” Meanwhile, @LaDeXi opined that the device was “Cool. Getting serious old-school Nokia vibes. We need more different styles of phones.”
Another user, DoReid0, appreciated the unusual look and wished to go back to the era when smartphone makers were open to experimenting with designs and said, “Let’s please go back to when tech was experimental, fun, different, and creative. Great vision, love this idea.”
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For context, Essential was shut down due topoor salesand its founder, Andy Rubin, being embroiled incontroversy. Carl Pei’s startup Nothing lateracquiredall of Essential’s patents and intellectual property.
Jitendra Soni was a Tech Writer on Dexerto’s UK Team. An expert in tech, especially smartphones, he has almost 10 years of experience. He spearheaded the TechRadar India editorial operations and has written for TechRadar, TechRadar Pro, Free Press Journal, Mobile Scout, IB Times Singapore, Indulge Express, and more.
