Essential on Wednesday started sending emails to customers to confirm that the Essential PH-1 is to start shipping within the next seven days, several consumers who pre-ordered the device from the company said. The Palo Alto, California-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) still didn’t provide a firm shipping date to customers but simply promised that more details on the matter will follow soon. The newly announced release window only pertains to pre-ordered units of the Essential PH-1 and not the Essential 360 Camera that the company said will ship separately and will also be the subject of another email that will be sent to all consumers who pre-ordered the first attachment for the modular flagship. The wording of Essential’s statement on the matter suggests that the 360 Camera will only be sent to people who pre-ordered it at a later date, though the additional wait shouldn’t be too long and the accessory is likely to arrive by the end of the month.

The company founded by the creator of Android Andy Rubin only found a single wireless carrier partner in the United States, with the Essential PH-1 being scheduled to start retailing in the country on Friday where it will be sold by Sprint. People who pre-ordered the handset were able to purchase it for $699 and it’s still available for that price tag directly from the Californian startup. Alternatively, Affirm offers a 24-month financing option for the Essential PH-1 which amounts to $29.13 per month, while Amazon and Best Buy are also set to start retailing the smartphone in the coming days. Once the device starts shipping within the next week, it will arrive to U.S. customers in two to three days, depending on their exact location.

The Essential PH-1 is advertised as a high-end smartphone that’s meant to address a number of Android’s common issues like software fragmentation and bloatware, in addition to supposedly being more future-proof than its contemporary alternatives, with its creators promising timely updates for the device and a plethora of accessories that can snap onto its back panel and provide it with additional functionalities. The handset will ship with the Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage space, and a 5.71-inch QHD screen.

source: https://www.androidheadlines.com/2017/08/essential-confirms-ph-1-starts-shipping-within-week.html