Essential has admitted that its inaugural Essential phone failed to please Android enthusiasts and general buyers, according to Business Insider.Â
"In general, one thing that we got hit hard with was the quality of our camera," the company's design lead, Linda Jiang, told the outlet. "We can say, we heard you and we're going to do it better on the second-gen for sure," she added.
Founded by Andy Rubin, widely known as the father of Android, Essential promised a clean, stripped-down version of Android on high-end hardware.Â
But a camera dogged by a lack of basic features like HDR and poor low light performance failed to impress reviewers and buyers alike, despite US carrier support from Sprint and despite massive price cuts.Â
The Essential Phone also failed to create an ecosystem of modules like a snap-on 360-degree camera and a home speaker that never arrived.
Essential's failure to capture any meaningful market interest despite Rubin's pedigree underscores the dominance that established players like Samsung and Apple wield.
While Essential did update the Essential Phone's camera through a series of firmware updates, it didn't fix key issues for low light shots and autofocus speed.
Representatives for Essential did not respond immediately to CNET's request for comment.