Essential promises it will improve the camera on the PH-1 successor

07 April 2018
The company admitted the camera wasn’t good and promises it will do better the next time around.

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It needs waterproofing spec

    • B
    • Bob
    • IrX
    • 09 Apr 2018

    I do want them to improve the camera but I think the primary focus should be on something else.

    I could be wrong but I doubt they have the resources of Samsung, Apple, Google, Sony (on their latest flagship), Huawei (on the P20, and P20 pro), and maybe even HTC in the camera department. Unless they have some really innovative ideas I don't think their cameras will be better than these. So they are not going to sell to the crowd that wants the best camera in a phone.

    However, there is another segment of the market that doesn't mind a decent camera if the rest of the phone is outstanding. Give the PH-2 (or whatever they call the next one) a design like the Vivo Apex or Doogee Mix 4. Put a 120 Hz refresh screen like the Razer phone. Put a 3.5mm headphone jack and give it good audio. Add wireless charging. The connection pins on the back are a bit pointless in my opinion. You can still create accessories that plug into the USB C port and they'd sell more because they would be compatible with a larger selection of devices.

    If the PH-2 doesnt have a better camera than the S9 (or note 9 when that comes out), and likely not drastically better performance (since it'll use the same snapdragon chip as the US ones), and lacks a headphone jack that the S9 has, why should people buy it instead? Make it an all screen device (no notches or bottom chin) with good audio and 3.5mm and I'd buy that. OnePlus sells despite not having the best camera and their prices keep going up every year. They have kept the headphone jack, offer good performance and similar pricing as the PH-1. I have held the PH-1 and prefer the feel of it but found the OnePlus more practical.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 81X
      • 09 Apr 2018

      I bought an Essential after the price drops, and I'm extremely happy with it. The camera could be better, and I would've liked waterproofing and a headphone jack, but for the price nothing comes close. The look and feel in person makes other phones seem cheap. Being 99% stock android, the updates have been stellar; near Pixel/Nexus quick. I will seriously consider a successor the next time I'm in the market for a phone (unless they price it in the Apple/Samsung flagship stratosphere).

        • D
        • AnonD-188155
        • nbG
        • 09 Apr 2018

        It's really bizarre that they dropped the ball on the PH-1 camera. After all, in terms of practical use, the camera, and in particular low-light (indoors) performance, is really what separates a mid-range phone from a high-end phone.
        I'd be perfectly happy with most mid-range phones if their camera wasn't noticeably worse than my S7.

          • x
          • xvi
          • K6q
          • 09 Apr 2018

          I'm very happy with my PH-1. A better camera and waterproofing would be nice, but in every other way it's the best phone out there IMO.

          I hope they don't change the size for the successor. It's the perfect size and the screen is taller but just short of being too tall for me. It's perfect and no other phone even comes close in this way, either being too big all round, too tall or too small.

            • i
            • ipolit
            • Sb6
            • 09 Apr 2018

            Ipolit, 09 Apr 2018PH-1 is good enough. 95% of the people can't make a differe... moreI meant GREAT
            It will be GREAT to sell a notch as an accessory.

              • I
              • Ipolit
              • Sb6
              • 09 Apr 2018

              PH-1 is good enough. 95% of the people can't make a difference between good and bad camera. It is important to be responsive. This they can feel. If PH-2 keeps the size and the design of the PH-1 with slightly improved performance to satisfy synthetic test addicted, it will be OK. Unfortunately it is very likely the market to require bigger dimensions and a notch, 5 cameras and something else extremely important. Please, make this with accessories. It will be grate to sell a notch as accessory. This way all will be happy.

                • D
                • AnonD-672395
                • vIY
                • 08 Apr 2018

                "titanium frame with a ceramic back plate".

                Andy Rubin, PLEASE don't waste time on unnecessary high end components on a smartphone that isn't Vertu. Save your money and ours.

                Concentrate Solely on This:
                1. Class leading cameras (use a 1+2 or 1+4 camera module, ala Coretronics)
                2. IP67 or 68 Waterproof body.
                3. Decent screen resolution with 500 nits+ brightness and high colour accuracy.
                4. Good stereo speakers.
                5. A little over the top colours ala Huawei P20 Pro for the Oomph.
                6. Simple and curved design language.
                7. Headphone jack.
                8. Expandable storage.
                9. 6Gb RAM
                10. Good quality of onboard mics (like the ones on HTC's flagships).
                11. Reduce the Price ATLEAST until you start selling phones in the millions. Price phones in the One Plus range. Not higher.

                  • N
                  • Noel
                  • Tfj
                  • 08 Apr 2018

                  A must for next Essential Phone...Andy n Co pls pls take note
                  1) Please please stay with the 17:9 aspect ratio..i'm sick of all these 18+:9AR phones
                  2) A 6" to 6.3" QHD screen with 85+% stb ratio
                  3) A Huge 4000
                  4) Top camera with maybe dual rear cams
                  5) Good sounding dual speakers
                  6) Priced reasonably with about 3 options according to RAM size 6 or 8GB, Storage Options 64, 128, or 256GB and maybe Battery size offerings 3500+mAh or 4000+mAh

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • mrx
                    • 08 Apr 2018

                    sansancho, 08 Apr 2018believe you dont want buy this phone.I use it for 8 months ... moreBut your Android 8 update was straight to 8.1, and weeks or months faster than some big companies have been even getting their flagships up to 8.0 (I know people who received that for the Galaxy s8 only yesterday, and that's non-carrier phones so nobody else to blame).

                    So unless you are comparing to Google themselves I really don't think you can use speed or frequency of updates as an objection to Essential, they've been well ahead of the pack there.

                      Essential PH-One
                      Essential PH-Two
                      Essential PH-Teven

                        • s
                        • sansancho
                        • nek
                        • 08 Apr 2018

                        believe you dont want buy this phone.I use it for 8 months and i give up.2 or 3 software updates.The camera is to bad for a snapshot.And from Android 7 to 8 i wait until february 2018.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-687126
                          • P%P
                          • 08 Apr 2018

                          The camera in the end stopped me from buying one. I was looking at the camera hacks, figuring it out, and then realised I could get a first gen Pixel for the same price. Not as pretty, but everything works right.

                          Let's see what's what in a year's time.

                            GSMArena please please please make a review for this phone!

                              • C
                              • Carl
                              • 0WJ
                              • 07 Apr 2018

                              The affordable price is because they did not sell well, with no repairability, no service outside the US and crap cameras. Their next improved phone if see the light will cost >$750

                                • I
                                • Ionix
                                • Nve
                                • 07 Apr 2018

                                I want to buy one so much. If only it was available outside US. It looks better & more original than other phones & runs on latest software updates with top notch materials at an affordable price!

                                  hopefully they will sort out better worldwide distribution too. Id have bought one of these if it was available in the UK.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • a0A
                                    • 07 Apr 2018

                                    Anonymous, 07 Apr 2018Improve the camera, fatten up the battery and lose the notc... moreYou are right, now its bucket of crap science

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • TSQ
                                      • 07 Apr 2018

                                      Improve the camera, fatten up the battery and lose the notch. There ain't rocket science now is it?

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • kui
                                        • 07 Apr 2018

                                        "It became the first company to notch the display". I believe the Sharp S2 was first.