andy rubin | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Sat, 15 Feb 2020 15:00:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png andy rubin | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Android co-founder’s smartphone company ‘Essential’ is shutting down https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-smartphone-company-essential-is-shutting-down/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-smartphone-company-essential-is-shutting-down/#respond Sat, 15 Feb 2020 14:00:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=452042 After leaving Google, Android co-founder, Andy Rubin, set out on a new venture, opting to build his own smartphone start-up called ‘Essential’. The company made headlines with its first release, the Essential Phone, and while a new smartphone project has been in the works since, the company appears to have fallen on hard times and …

The post Android co-founder’s smartphone company ‘Essential’ is shutting down first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
After leaving Google, Android co-founder, Andy Rubin, set out on a new venture, opting to build his own smartphone start-up called ‘Essential’. The company made headlines with its first release, the Essential Phone, and while a new smartphone project has been in the works since, the company appears to have fallen on hard times and will now be shutting down.

Essential initially had some hype behind it after unveiling its first smartphone three years ago, but the device was unable to shake-up the Android market's status quo. Aside from that a number controversies hindered the business, including a personal information leak and misconduct accusations against Andy Rubin.

After finishing up work on the Essential Phone, one of the first to feature an all-screen design with a smaller cutout for the camera, Essential focused on Project GEM. The idea with this device was to “invent a mobile computing paradigm that more seamlessly integrated with people's lifestyle needs”. The phone was tall and skinny, with a UI based on quick-glance information cards instead of a traditional home screen.

Now, Essential says it has “taken Gem as far as we can” and have “no clear path to deliver it to consumers”. Due to this, Essential is ceasing operations and shutting down.

“As part of the company wind down, the security update for PH-1 released on February 3 is the last update from the Essential software team. Your PH-1 will continue to work but we will not be providing any additional updates or customer support. Current Newton Mail users will have access to the service through April 30, 2020.”

All is not lost though, as some of Essential's code base is being uploaded to Github, giving open source developers a chance to continue tinkering.

KitGuru Says: Essential certainly had bold ideas but without the resources to manufacture and release its new phone, there is not much more that can be done. Did any of you follow Essential since it formed? Did any of you happen to use the original Essential Phone?

The post Android co-founder’s smartphone company ‘Essential’ is shutting down first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-smartphone-company-essential-is-shutting-down/feed/ 0
Android co-founder’s first smartphone launch brought in less than 90K sales https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-first-smartphone-launch-brought-in-less-than-90k-sales/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-first-smartphone-launch-brought-in-less-than-90k-sales/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2018 18:14:11 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=364084 After leaving Google, Android co-founder, Andy Rubin set out on a new venture, opting to build his own smartphone start-up called ‘Essential'. The company made headlines over the last year with the Essential Phone, sporting a bezel-free design with a camera in the center of the front panel. Unfortunately, it looks like the design didn't …

The post Android co-founder’s first smartphone launch brought in less than 90K sales first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
After leaving Google, Android co-founder, Andy Rubin set out on a new venture, opting to build his own smartphone start-up called ‘Essential'. The company made headlines over the last year with the Essential Phone, sporting a bezel-free design with a camera in the center of the front panel. Unfortunately, it looks like the design didn't catch on with many consumers.

This week, industry research firm IDC, has reported that the Essential Phone sold less than 90,000 units during its first six months on the market, showing that Essential is still a long way from becoming a successful/profitable smartphone company.

Obviously, being a brand new company, nobody was expecting Essential to compete toe to toe with Samsung or other top companies in the Android arena. However, overall sales are still quite low. It all just goes to show that even for someone who helped create Android, competing in the saturated high-end smartphone market is still a huge challenge to take on.

Since launch, the Essential Phone has had a price drop to $499 and will likely receive another aggressive price cut this year. We saw the phone sell for as low as $399 during a limited sale late last year, so profit margins are likely going to be low. If enough money can't be raised through sales of the first Essential Phone, then we may not end up seeing a successor hit the market.

KitGuru Says: The Essential Phone certainly catches the eye when you look at it, and being a start-up in a notoriously hard to crack market, I'm sure Essential wasn't expecting blockbuster sales. Still, it will be interesting to see if Essential can stick around long enough for round 2, with a second smartphone down the line.

The post Android co-founder’s first smartphone launch brought in less than 90K sales first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-first-smartphone-launch-brought-in-less-than-90k-sales/feed/ 0
Android co-founder’s new company sued over modular smartphone add-ons https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-new-company-sued-over-modular-smartphone-add-ons/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-new-company-sued-over-modular-smartphone-add-ons/#respond Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:06:25 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=350639 Over the last few years, the idea of modular smartphone add-ons has been explored by a myriad of companies. The latest smartphone to offer modular add-ons is the Essential Phone, from Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android. Unfortunately, it looks like this feature has landed Essential with a lawsuit, with a company alleging that Essential …

The post Android co-founder’s new company sued over modular smartphone add-ons first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Over the last few years, the idea of modular smartphone add-ons has been explored by a myriad of companies. The latest smartphone to offer modular add-ons is the Essential Phone, from Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android. Unfortunately, it looks like this feature has landed Essential with a lawsuit, with a company alleging that Essential stole trade secrets.

The lawsuit is filed by Keyssa, a wireless technology company backed by one of the co-creators of the iPod. Apparently, Keyssa has been working on a chip for smartphones that can transfer data without using wires or WiFi connections. According to the Reuters report, Keyssa has been working with Samsung and Foxconn to try and get this feature implemented into smartphones. However, in September, the Essential Phone managed to beat Keyssa to the punch with its own wireless connector, which is used for a camera accessory.

The lawsuit alleges that Essential had previously been in discussions with Keyssa about this technology. However, in November 2016, the two companies parted ways, with Essential going to a rival firm for its wireless chip needs. According to the suit, the final Essential Phone design uses many of the techniques developed by Keyssa.

The company is claiming that the information it shared with Essential during negotiations was protected by an NDA, barring Essential from taking the technology and implementing it commercially. So far, Essential has not issued a statement on Keyssa’s allegations.

KitGuru Says: In some ways, this reminds me of the Zenimax/Oculus lawsuit. It’s certainly not the sort of lawsuit you want to face as a start-up company looking to break into the competitive/saturated smartphone business.

The post Android co-founder’s new company sued over modular smartphone add-ons first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-co-founders-new-company-sued-over-modular-smartphone-add-ons/feed/ 0
Android Founder’s new smartphone company is worth $1.2 billion without shipping a phone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-founders-new-smartphone-company-is-worth-1-2-billion-without-shipping-a-phone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-founders-new-smartphone-company-is-worth-1-2-billion-without-shipping-a-phone/#comments Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:35:49 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=343556 Andy Rubin, one of the founders of the Android operating system, has a new smartphone company called ‘Essential’. The startup is working on the Essential Phone at the moment and it seems like that fact alone has been enough to drive up value for the company, with Essential being valued at over $1 billion without …

The post Android Founder’s new smartphone company is worth $1.2 billion without shipping a phone first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Andy Rubin, one of the founders of the Android operating system, has a new smartphone company called ‘Essential’. The startup is working on the Essential Phone at the moment and it seems like that fact alone has been enough to drive up value for the company, with Essential being valued at over $1 billion without even shipping a phone to consumers.

According to Bloomberg’s Tim Culpan, FIH Mobile recently filed for a $3 million investment in Essential. That money nabbed them around 0.25 percent of the company, revealing that the company’s official evaluation points to the company worth around $1.2 billion. As The Verge points out, previous estimations put Essential’s worth at around the $997 million mark.

Right now, Essential is gearing up to release its first smartphone. We have seen the phone but unfortunately, so far, there has been no shipping date announced. We should be hearing more news on that front later this week though.

KitGuru Says: Obviously a company value of that size is no small feet, though the smartphone market isn’t particularly easy to break in to these days. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how well the ‘Essential Phone’ does worldwide.

The post Android Founder’s new smartphone company is worth $1.2 billion without shipping a phone first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/android-founders-new-smartphone-company-is-worth-1-2-billion-without-shipping-a-phone/feed/ 1
Over 900,000 Android devices are activated daily https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/blair-mcclelland/over-900000-android-devices-are-activated-daily/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/blair-mcclelland/over-900000-android-devices-are-activated-daily/#respond Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:32:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=94734 Google’s Senior Vice President, Andy Rubin, is more than often the source for the latest Android device activation figures and this time it is no different. He has tweeted that 900,000 Android smartphones, tablets and other devices are now being activated every day. To put this into context, this is up nearly 6% from 850,000 …

The post Over 900,000 Android devices are activated daily first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google’s Senior Vice President, Andy Rubin, is more than often the source for the latest Android device activation figures and this time it is no different. He has tweeted that 900,000 Android smartphones, tablets and other devices are now being activated every day. To put this into context, this is up nearly 6% from 850,000 daily activations in February.

This rate of growth is steadily slowing and if you’ve ever taken high school statistics this is a given in all fairness. With the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III both launching recently, combined with ever-improving low-end Androids we see no reason for this number to decrease in the coming months.

Andy Rubin also confirmed on Twitter that he will not be leaving the search giant, contrary to some recent rumours.

KitGuru says: When will Android's reign over the mobile world end?

The post Over 900,000 Android devices are activated daily first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/blair-mcclelland/over-900000-android-devices-are-activated-daily/feed/ 0