Kind of underwhelming launch

[jimbo1mcm]

I was mildly interested but the reviews are not super positive and there are relatively few reviews out. I guess for the price point it is a nice phone but you have to wonder with such a small staff if they will be able to get the updates out on time and will they be able to solve the inevitable bugs that are going to crop up. They launched it in such a hurry they don't even have a wireless charging dock. I think I'll just wait for the Pixel 2 XL or the Iphone 8.

 

[anon(1733)]

Their not the first or only company to not have all accessories at launch. Try Moto and their mods. Or apple and their air pods, battery case, home pod and others. Samsung and bixby. LG and all their so called "friends" mods remember those. My point is every company has issues and delays. Essential is no different.

Now I do agree only time will tell if they can upgrade the software. I have hopes they will. But don't knock essential when they haven't even started yet. Let's see what happens.

 

[modifier]

Kind of? No, very. The launch was never intended to be overwhelming... just standard if not purposefully limited. It was mostly luck that any of us found out about it. No online advertising... no TV/radio commercials... nothing. If you happened to find out about it, great. Buy it or don't. The message was really that basic.

That's assuming you stuck with them all 11 weeks and didn't bail early in a pointless tantrum. lol

By the end of the year we'll have one of two outcomes. Those of us who got in early will be glad we did and pleased with the update schedule and accessory options, or we'll get burnt and sell our phones for something else. It's way too early for anyone to call it a failure or success—reviewers included. None of them can predict the future.

Frankly, I like it. The roller coaster has been entertaining to say the least. Many of us are looking forward to getting our phones this week despite the delays and media drama.

 

[PhiPsi32]

The news from Essential is low expectations. if they sell handsets in the single digit millions, they're happy. Sounds like they're in for the long haul and aren't worried about short term sales.

 

[anon(1733)]

And that is a good strategy. Take your time. Prefect what you got then expand. You get in to trouble when you try to do too much to soon.

 

[ChuckG73]

I would love to see some tv advertising for the Essential phone and to see it in all of the carriers stores.

 

[msp1518]

I cannot see them selling a million phones in a year. They have had a nearly zero social media imprint. Everybody was talking about the One Plus back when it was launching but near nobody is talking about the Essential. They didn't understand how to play to the market and build buzz for free. Hopefully the phone will be so good that buzz will slowly build based upon its awesomeness.

 

[modifier]

They didn't understand how to play to the market and build buzz for free.

Probably because they didn't want to. Six-year-olds know how to generate market buzz these days.

 

[msp1518]

That was a cataclysmic mistake on their part. The other giant mistake was saying it would ship in about 30 days. They simply should have said "sometime this summer."

 

[modifier]

In a world overwhelmed with marketing and advertising, I find their approach refreshing. They don't have branding on their phone and didn't advertise anywhere. Clearly they're taking a different path than everyone else. Time will tell if it's a mistake or not. I don't think it will be.

As long as they stick to their software promises and ship phones this week, the previous delays will likely be forgotten in short time.

 

[anon(9918034)]

I think it will sell just fine. They wont see the numbers of the big 3 but they will see numbers. As far as advertising, anybody who knows anything about android should know who Andy is. That alone is enough marketing to steal away google pixel fans and other android lovers.

As far as updates, that will be easy because its runs stock android. Nothing slapped on top or baked in, essentially(see what I did) as the updates come out this device will always be the first next to pixel and nexus.

I am personally waiting till the note 8, v30, and iphone 8 are released before I decide which device to buy. Right now I'm tied between the essential and iphone(mainly because it should have all the features I like in a phone, and my new job runs strictly apple in the office)