Here is some good news for those who have been eyeing the Essential phone – the handset has just been provided a $200 price cut. So while the phone initially went on sale for $699, the same can now be procured for a more pocket-friendly $499.
Essential however hasn’t offered any explanation as to why the device has been provided a price cut though the company did make it clear the discount offered is permanent. Essential has also stated early buyers of the phone who paid the original amount are eligible for a $200 worth of ‘friends and family’ code as a way of reimbursing the discounted amount.
The code again can only be spent at Essential stores to either pick up another Essential handset or any of its accessories. For the latter, the choice is however limited to only the 360-degree camera which will make it completely free. As for procuring another of the handset, the price would drop down to just $399.
Meanwhile, such a deep discount is also believed to be the first sign of things not going as per plan at Essential, more so when it is just months that the handset has been launched. Maybe the handset hasn’t received the kind of market response that its makers had anticipated even though the phone posed several advantages over its rivals.
For instance, it happens to be the first Android phone with a near edge-to-edge display with the screen extending all the way to the top. The bezel along the bottom is also at the bare minimum. Another advantage with the handset is that it sports a stock Android version, which should appeal to those who have a dislike for bloatware. The phone also sports an excellent finish, being made of titanium that has better protection again scratches and dents.
However, the phone suffers from some serious shortcoming with regards to the camera, something that the company has since acknowledged and has sought to remedy by launching a few updates. Things aren’t yet anywhere near the best such as the S8 or the Pixel 2 but the company has promised more updates.
There were also a few management issues that the company had been dogged with in the beginning, with several high ranking officials leaving the company as well. The subsequent launch of the S8 range or the more recent Pixel 2 is further bad news for the otherwise brilliant Essential phone.
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However, the phone can still be a steal when priced at $499, given its speedy performance, exceptional build quality, and software support.
