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C5Longhorn

macrumors regular
Jul 31, 2010
137
6
Read the comments. Some Android users would leave their Pixel 2 in the drawer. Best value for smartphones in 2017. It's like a cross between the OnePlus 3 and ZTE Axon 7 from last year in value.

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/11/30/16718930/essential-phone-camera-app-update

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...sential-phone-way-better-than-expected-4.html

A 7th criteria should be added called support. The pixel 2 is guaranteed 3 years of major updates and has a 2 yr. manufacturer warranty.
 

JaySoul

macrumors 68030
Jan 30, 2008
2,629
2,865
When the price drops enough, am I getting one? Hell... to... the... yeah!! It's still not even officially on sale in the UK, is it?

I agree, though. If Rubin has gone, Essential is pretty much toast.
 

AppleRobert

macrumors 603
Nov 12, 2012
5,729
1,133
I assume then a class action suit would be forthcoming for misleading folks if what was proposed for updates and the like do not come to fruition.
 

widgeteer

Suspended
Original poster
Jun 12, 2016
1,565
4,610
I assume then a class action suit would be forthcoming for misleading folks if what was proposed for updates and the like do not come to fruition.

Maybe. There has to be interest. And it depends on what the “make good” would look like if the company folds.
 

AppleRobert

macrumors 603
Nov 12, 2012
5,729
1,133
The Essential is my thirdary phone. Why did I buy it then? Well it was a good price and I never thought I spend on the Pixel 2 XL or Note 8. Some wheeling and dealing made me get those and the Essential unfortunately does not really come close to those two powerhouses, a good value no doubt but ......
 
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Fernandez21

macrumors 601
Jun 16, 2010
4,840
3,183
New new new Essential?
You're getting another? Problem or more money off that now makes it $5?!

I can't keep up with your Essential purchases! :D

Ha, yeah it’s gotten a little complicated. Ok, here goes:

I original preordered at the $700 price, and loved that phone. My wife then broke her iPhone 7 screen for the second time this year, and rather than repair it, she upgraded to the Note 8, AT&T had a BOGO and I got the S8 Active for free, so I returned the Essential Phone and used the S8 Active as my daily work Phone.

Then a couple weeks pass, I start missing the Essential phone, and on impulse (because i had $300 in Best Buy rewards) I go and purchase at Best Buy, it was still listed at $699 at the time. A couple days later the price drops start, but I just keep price matching. I also get an email from Essential about the friends and family discount, and because I bought it just before the price drop, I was eligible and get a $200 coupon. Can’t use though because I didnt plan on buying another Essential phone. iPhone X comes out, and I’m happy with pair.

Then my wife breaks the screen on her Note 8, third time this year she breaks the screen of her phone, so she’s now using my S8 Active with its shatter proof screen. I then send in her Note 8 to the insurance company and get a replacement. At this point I had been seeing if any one wanted to use my friends and family code, but no takers, so I decided to use it myself. Since I was elite member at Best Buy, I was still in my return window, so I took the phone back to Best Buy (ended up using the credit to get a new dishwasher, our old one broke and wasn’t draining the water. Got lucky too, Black Friday sale, plus open box discount, plus picking it up myself discount, got a $630 dishwasher for $300) And I have been using the Note 8 as my daily driver since then.

Then on Black Friday I went ahead and ordered again from Essential (was waiting to see if they had anymore specials), using my friends and family code, for $299. Plus, it turns out they now offer financing (wasn’t available when initially preordered), so it came out to $370, but I’m now only making $20 payments for 18months.

So now I await the arrival of my new Essential Phone, which should also have the metal earpiece instead of fabric like my original 2.
 

Fernandez21

macrumors 601
Jun 16, 2010
4,840
3,183
Sweet, got my new Essential Phone tonight and loaded up the Oreo beta. Updated to the newest camera update to see the changes. Does look better, but the iPhone still trounces it. To be fair, I'm comparing low light shots, which the Essential phone really struggles with. In well lit shots its actually does a fairly good job.
Essential

iPhone X
[url=https://flic.kr/p/228YjYC]
For comparison, here is a similar photo i took with my old Essential on older software
[url=https://flic.kr/p/228Yjhh]
[/url][/url]
 

Aneres11

macrumors 601
Oct 2, 2011
4,353
9,551
I still can't believe how bad the camera is in low light.

It was a nice phone to have a little play with, but ultimately I was pretty disappointed in the end with the Essential.
Build / design aside it left me really underwhelmed. But I think part of that is stock Android, which isn't my favourite thing.

Give me Sony's skin anyday!
 

slitherjef

macrumors 65816
Feb 8, 2012
1,402
1,189
Earth
I have yet to see this device in person, at least at my local Best buy. I don't go to Sprint that often either though I'm not sure they'd have it on display either. Getting to be one of those phones they'd have to order in I suspect.
 

mclld

macrumors 68030
Nov 6, 2012
2,658
2,127
Wow that low light performance is a deal breaker, even at the new price. That is horrible
 

KingslayerG5

Suspended
Oct 16, 2017
1,254
1,292
From 5,000 to 50,000 sold

https://www.gsmarena.com/essential_phone_sales_50000_units-news-28704.php

Still a flop. The Nexus One only sold 135K and was considered a flop. I don't mind it since I don't want a phone everybody has but of course I want to see the company succeed to continue on.

As of late, I have seen four iPhone X owners just by walking into random restaurants not including Apple Stores / carrier ones. A Chinese guy who works in Big Chopsticks has the silver X. It's cool and all but like Dave 2D and Mr. Mobile, I don't want what everyone else has.

Essential is something different. A flop but also more like a unicorn out in public.
 

joshwithachance

macrumors 68020
Dec 11, 2009
2,104
1,320
Only 50k units sold with Sprint basically giving them away and the Amazon Black Friday $399 deal with free 360 camera. That’s not so good...
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,975
12,673
NC
Only 50k units sold with Sprint basically giving them away and the Amazon Black Friday $399 deal with free 360 camera. That’s not so good...

It's bad... but are we surprised?

Big brand names like HTC who have been around for years are having trouble selling phones these days.

So who would take a risk on an unknown OEM for a phone they're gonna use for the next year or two?
 

Fernandez21

macrumors 601
Jun 16, 2010
4,840
3,183
I would consider next years model if it has camera improvements to bring it up to current smartphones. A great camera is a big buying requirement for me.

Yeah, they really need to step up their camera game. Using it side by side with my iPhone X, there’s almost no comparison. The only time I’ll use my Essential phone camera outside of work is for the 360 video camera. That is really awesome. But quality wise the iPhone just destroys it.

I’m thinking better camera, ip68, and wireless charging (along with the usual more ram and faster processor) will get me to consider next years model. Of course it’s going to be a tough choice between it and the Note 9.
 

slitherjef

macrumors 65816
Feb 8, 2012
1,402
1,189
Earth
I think htc would do a little better if they were more developer friendly. And if the carriers would actually display the phones! And if htc brought some of these major phones to the us like the u11 plus that was evidently supposed to be a Google pixel

The essential probably because a new company that dropped the ball and also opted to use one of the lowest rated carriers as an exclusive and charging an obscene price.
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
Yeah, they really need to step up their camera game. Using it side by side with my iPhone X, there’s almost no comparison. The only time I’ll use my Essential phone camera outside of work is for the 360 video camera. That is really awesome. But quality wise the iPhone just destroys it.

Damn it must be fairly awful if the X trounces it.

I returned my X partly due to the meh camera. Sure, images look fine on the phone-sized screen but on my 27-inch iMac at anything close to 1:1 they were a smudgy watercoloury mess.

I think Apple went overboard with post processing to remove noise and the new ‘high efficiency’ file formats doesn’t seem to keep detail well.

Only the Pixel line retain detail by not going crazy on noise reduction IME. Then again I’m used to APS-C and full frame images so a measly phone sensor is never going to fare well in Lightroom.

Hopefully Essential get another crack at it next year but they have to improve the camera. Those newbie not-bad-for-a-first-attempt reasons won’t wash next time. And they should price it competitively from launch to get it into consumers’ hands.
 
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Aneres11

macrumors 601
Oct 2, 2011
4,353
9,551
@Fernandez21 - do you still have your Essential?!
How is it treating you if you do?

The ship has long sailed for the phone now in my eyes, especially with no signs for the UK still, but wondered how it was performing after updates etc. :)

Shame, as this phone was very nearly there, it was just let down my a few major flaws.
 
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