Andy Rubin, one of the founder members of Android, was reported to be working on a new smartphone which will take head-to-head competition with the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung. Interestingly, we might have the first glimpse of the upcoming smartphone, all thanks to a new teaser image of the device revealed by Andy Rubin itself.
For those who are not aware, Rubin was one of the founder members of Android. When Android was acquired by Google in 2005, Rubin was Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content until March 2013, where he looked after the operating system for eight years. In 2013, he stepped down from Android division and he left the company in 2014, to start an incubator for hardware startup called Playground Global.
Coming back to the new handset, Rubin posted a teaser image on his twitter handle showing us a glimpse of the upcoming smartphone. The tweet read – “I’m really excited about how this is shaping up. Eager to get it in more people’s hands…” The image reveals an almost bezel-less display with a rounded screen. There is a cutout on top for a speaker, while at the side there is a visible button. The screen shows icons of cellular connectivity, battery and clock, which would mean that the handset might run on Android OS. However, there is no information about the device and its specifications but we expect to not wait much long before we get the spec sheet of the device.
Earlier, way back in January, Andy Rubin announced a new company called ‘Essential’ and which focus on delivering high-end smartphones equipped with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) based digital assistant, claimed a report by Bloomberg. The report further highlights that the company is planning to launch a new smartphone which will boast a large edge-to-edge display (something similar to Xiaomi Mi Mix). The report adds that the phone boasts a screen larger than the 5.5-inch iPhone Plus but will have a smaller footprint due to lack of bezels.
Rubin’s Essential is also reported to come up with a pressure sensitive display, similar to what we have seen in Apple’s iPhone 6s and later. It is also said that the company is working on a modular angle and is developing a new connector that can be used to add other accessories as well, just like we have seen in the Moto Z series. The report further states that the company is testing high-end design with metal edges and a back made of ceramic.