This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Anyone who follows Android news knows Andy Rubin as the human being who founded Android. His startup was caused by Google, and Android grew into the ascendant mobile platform within a few years. Rubin left Google a while back to pursue other projects, and that eventually led him to create a smartphone startup called Essential. The company has been toiling in underground since its inception, but Rubin teased its outset telephone the other day. If there was any doubtfulness 2017 was the yr of rounded corners, there isn't now.

Nosotros don't know much more about this mysterious Android phone today than we did last calendar week. In fact, we've only seen a tiny sliver of information technology. That sliver was pretty interesting, though. The screen has a rounded corner that's snugged right upward confronting the edge of the phone. It looks similar in that location are but a few millimeters of bezel around the screen.

This is the top of the phone, where you'd commonly have an earpiece and camera. I'g non sure how the earpiece could exist handled, but the front end-facing camera might be at the bottom of the phone. Several devices take had very slim bezels on iii sides with a larger 1 on the bottom. I hope that's non what Essential is doing, though. It'due south boring and non the best look. The ergonomics of a telephone are also better with balanced bezels rather than uneven ones.

This basic aesthetic with the rounded corners and narrow bezels is proving to be popular this yr. The LG G6 has it, every bit does the Galaxy S8. The GS8 also adds a curved console to further eliminate visible bezel. It'due south a necessary step — people want bigger screens, but our hands aren't getting whatever larger. Of course, this also makes phones a bit harder to concur without inadvertently touching the screen. Smart palm-rejection applied science is a necessity.

Essential is coming into a crowded field that even some established smartphone makers have had problem competing in. The company has just 40-some employees and an undisclosed cache of venture majuscule. Investors hope that Rubin's feel with Android volition help Essential stand out from other OEMs. Past rumors have pointed to a modular design, which would be risky. Modular phones accept been tried several times, and the closest we have to success is the Moto Z.

Nosotros don't know when the mystery phone volition exist unveiled or how much it will cost. We just know information technology won't accept corners. Corners are so 2016.