Essential Products

Essential Products was founded in 2015 by Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, in Palo Alto, California. The company designed and manufactured premium consumer electronics, primarily smartphones and smart home devices. The Essential Phone was the company's flagship product, positioning itself as a high-end Android device for users who valued pure software and distinctive hardware design. Though backed by strong technical credentials and significant funding, Essential Products ceased operations in 2020 after struggling to differentiate in a crowded smartphone market dominated by Samsung, Apple, and Google. The venture represented an attempt by a legendary mobile platform creator to establish an independent consumer hardware brand.

Culture

Essential Products was a hardware startup led by one of mobile computing's most respected engineers, emphasizing design excellence and pure Android experiences. The company cultivated an engineering-focused culture centered on premium product design and innovation. As a small, venture-backed hardware company in a competitive market, the team operated with the intensity and urgency typical of startups seeking to disrupt established categories. The company's downfall reflected the broader challenge of launching independent consumer hardware brands against entrenched competitors with greater scale and distribution.

Values

  • Design excellence, Pure Android, Premium hardware

Hiring velocity

1 open now, 1 first appeared in the last 30d.

Open roles

Page 1 of 1 · 1 role