
Essential Phone review: An arcane artifact from an unrealized future - dhd415
https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/18/16165040/essential-phone-review-android-andy-rubin
======
dguo
I wish smartphone manufacturers would shift the focus from making better
cameras to improving battery life. The performance of every phone becomes zero
once the battery runs out. This review claims excellent battery life, but for
me to really find the phone compelling, the battery life needs to be more than
excellent so that I can believe it will still be able to last a full day two
years after I get it. Are magnetic accessories really that great if I'll have
to get a new core phone anyway once the battery gives out (from what I
understand, the Essential Phone's battery is not replaceable)?

Before 360 degree pictures, VR, or a better AI assistant, I just want a phone
that I'm actually willing to use as much as I'd like to instead of dimming
down the screen to the point that I can barely see it when I know I'm going to
be away from a charger for most of the day.

~~~
valuearb
The market has spoken and by far people prefer thinner lighter phones than
greater battery life. It's silly to build a fat heavy long battery life phone
because it can only ever address the preferences/needs of a small niche.

A thin light phone can always add greater battery life with a battery case, so
it can address both markets. My wife is a heavy user, I got her Apple's
battery case for her iPhone 6, and she loves it (it's actually works really
well). And she can always take it off if she tires of it's heft.

~~~
dman
The market had spoken in 2003 - people wanted phones with small screens that
were indestructible and lasted a couple of days in terms of battery life. Then
the iphone happened.

~~~
valuearb
The market speaks every year. And it continues to say no to heavy duty battery
life phones. If someone ever designs one that comes with substantive user
benefits that thin phones can't provide, fat phones can become a standard
again.

But again, thin phones can provide as much battery life as you want, just add
a battery case. It's like demanding Porsche include permanent, unremovable
trailers on every 911, because some minority of users wants to occasionally
tow stuff with their sportscar.

~~~
izacus
How can a market "speak" when there's no way of buying anything but the same
practially 99% copied black slab for each company?

The basis of market competition (and the ability for market to "speak") is the
concept of choice. In mobile phone market there is little choice and the
device themselves are more than a single feature.

~~~
valuearb
Here is a list of 20 hour battery life phones. You may note they aren't best
sellers.

[https://www.cnet.com/news/smartphones-best-long-battery-
life...](https://www.cnet.com/news/smartphones-best-long-battery-life/)

While there is lots of similarities, every phone is differentiated in some
way. You want bigger differences but right now bigger differences aren't
perceived as a plus by most users.

------
AdmiralAsshat
Having held off so far on getting a Galaxy S8 to look at its competitors (HTC
U11, upcoming Pixel, Essential, etc.), the S8 still seems to blow them all
away as far as what I want, namely:

\- bezel-free screen

\- headphone jack

\- SD slot

The _only_ thing keeping me from buying it right now is Samsung's history of
slow updates.

Which makes me think what we really, _really_ need is to bring back the Google
Play Edition devices. Looking back on it, they absolutely nailed what the
smartphones should be: flagship devices, stock Android, guaranteed updates
free from carrier holds. The problem was they cost the full price of the phone
at a time when most people were still paying $200 upfront for subsidized
phones--so the perception was that the cost was higher. Now that the full
price of the phone is advertised upfront, I think we're due for a refresh of
the GPE line-up.

~~~
fumar
Do want to add that the S8 has wireless charging. I had a Nexus 6 and a Note
5, both with wireless charging - I can't go back. It is one those changes that
impacts how I use the phone. I never need to plug into anything.

~~~
valuearb
But you have to charge it in a special spot, while a regular phone can be
plugged in anywhere to charge. I still don't get the wireless charging
benefit, and I have an apple watch.

~~~
ulber
Wirelessly chargeable phones can typically be charged normally. What it buys
you is convenience in that special place or two where you always charge your
phone (bedside, work desk, etc.). I really liked it when I did have it and
wish Apple offered it too.

~~~
valuearb
That's a good point that I didn't consider.

------
Fej
I haven't seen a single reason to buy this phone. I mean, perhaps a few people
might _really_ love the design, but that's a matter of taste.

Does this thing do _anything_ that makes it special? Motorola already did
modularity better.

In a world where Samsung dominates Android phone sales, another contender has
to do _something_ to stand out. It can't be just a good phone. (And to make
things worse it's missing some killer features, like water resistance and a
headphone jack.)

~~~
amiga-workbench
I wish shipping unbastardized software was enough to do so, but people keep
going back for more TouchWiz. Baffling.

------
anotheryou
My semi-budget android phones just get worse, appart from the camera.

My first smartphone, the desire-z had a physical keyboard. My current, the
moto-g 1st gen still fits in my pocket comfortably.

My next will have a screen far bigger than I asked for, specs would still be
upper middle-class and just the camera is better. There is no semi-budget
android that is not large. I'll probably get the moto g5+ when prices drop
with the g5s+ coming out.

~~~
whowalrus
I feel your pain. My all-time favorite phone was the Moto E2 (4.5-inch
screen), and would still be using it if I hadn't dropped it in water. I don't
think I'll ever get a budget or semi-budget phone that is as comfortable to
use.

------
fractallyte
Android? Ugh!

What's with all the hardware worship, while totally ignoring the software?
Hardware is cheap, low-hanging fruit. If you're going to push technology
boundaries, try a more interesting, forward looking OS _to start with_.

Both Sailfish and QNX really are 'arcane' and 'futuristic'. Android apps can
run alongside Sailfish, so why aren't these glitzy manufacturers aiming just
that little bit higher?

~~~
amiga-workbench
That would be like trying to sell the average consumer on a laptop running
Gentoo.

~~~
fractallyte
Chrome OS is based on Gentoo... ;-)

------
mfoy_
In contrast to the author's main complaint: For me, the camera is one of the
least important features on the phone, and I'd actually appreciate a phone
that did _not_ have a front-facing camera.

I really wish it was waterproof though... that would have made the transition
a _very_ tempting value proposition...

~~~
ashark
The only two features that keep me on high-end smartphones are the cameras (I
have kids—Apple's live photos are basically magic) and GPS. If it were only
the latter I could probably drop to a dumbphone and just use physical maps,
and/or scribble directions from a Maps search before leaving.

------
valuearb
I'm actually impressed by the design focus they kept to. Rejecting bloatware
not only a user benefit, but it probably removed a lot of outside dependencies
from their project and likely was a significant reason they were able to get
to market so quickly.

------
Multicomp
Yeah so can I get a phone with the thickness of the old Motorola
Milestone/Droid but with current guts and a proportionally higher capacity
battery?

Edit: grammar

~~~
phonon
[https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-mods/moto-
turbopow...](https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-mods/moto-turbopower-
pack-battery)

[https://www.androidheadlines.com/2017/07/motorola-moto-
turbo...](https://www.androidheadlines.com/2017/07/motorola-moto-turbo-power-
pack-moto-mod-review.html)

------
dandare
I made a promise to myself that my next phone will be waterproof - especially
for a device this expensive.

------
aphextron
I can't understand the hype, will someone explain why this isn't just another
mediocre $700 Android phone?

~~~
freeone3000
There's a novel wireless accessory system allowing for functional phone
accessories, such as cameras. This is like the moto-z system, but wireless.

The screen has a smaller bezel and there's no 3.5mm headphone jack.

Truly, the future.

~~~
josteink
> there's no 3.5mm headphone jack

All I need to hear. No thanks.

