Why Essential failed
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Channel: TechAltar
Views: 285,856
Rating: 4.9208946 out of 5
Keywords: Essential, Andy Rubin, Playground, Google, Android, father of android, failed, dead, death, over, analysis, company, tech, business, trend, TechAltar, Story behind, the story behind, TSB
Id: 8T1QvL1OZAE
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 9min 44sec (584 seconds)
Published: Sun Feb 16 2020
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Although I think he's overly critical of Essential, most of his points about why Essential failed is valid. Basically it just boils down to two things:
Applying Silicon Valley Software values to hardware.
Poor business decisions for a startup to make, possibly due to Andy Rubin himself.
He can however give more credit for what Essential achieved with their one phone, which he basically did none of in that video.
Still love mine. I never found it any quirkier or buggier than any other phone I've owned (og Moto Droid, Galaxy Nexus, HTC M8, Samsung G7). I'm strictly amateur when it comes to photos, so initial quality there wasn't an issue.
But the design is still beautiful, and the clean Android with updates sold it to me.
And with prices going up with each generation, yet no compelling reason to upgrade, I'll keep maintaining mine as long as parts are available. (Just replaced battery and screen)
Yeah this guy clearly just got it stuck in his craw that he thinks Essential is stupid and didn't do that much research so grain of salt with his insights (though some of them are sound). I really do think Essential could have made waves in the industry with better management. Didn't watch the whole video so maybe he brings this up but I think the company came sucks too. People still regularly ask me about my phone and I can literally watch their brains turn off when I respond and they inevitably say, "What?"
Strangely absent in the reasoning is the fact that tech bloggers and reviewers seemed to be much more focused on writing about Rubin's indiscressions than Essentials products.
Too critical on Essential, most points we have known for a long time and it's just sad that better management could have put it at the top. The PH-1 was a refresh to the market and as always it comes with risks. But I liked the kind of risky Essential was. There are lots of things to love and appreciate about it....Had a true potential for success.
This guy makes his bones going after any tech company that screws up. He likes to mix facts with his opinion. Lots of people do this, Tech Altar comes off as overbearing to say the least. We all know why Essential failed. We don’t have to think to hard; investors don’t look scandals.
Essential failed because the user experience is not up to par. They spent money on the wrong things. There's no need for Titanium frame and ceremic back for example, the money for R&D and production on those items could've been used on a better touch screen, faster NAND flash, OIS camera module. Those things would've addressed the biggest issues people have on this phone.
Oh man got 45 seconds in and realized he's just a grumpy reddit poster with a camera. 9 more minutes of that? I'm good.
Why essential failed? It's pretty much impossible to make money in the smart phone business unless your Apple, Samsung or build your own OS. You need to be selling millions of units per year to amortise engineering cost over to make a viable business