News

Mobile start-up Essential confirms $300 million funding round

Tencent, Amazon and Foxconn invest in new company from Android co-creator

Date Type Companies involved Size
August 11th, 2017 investment Essential $300m
Mobile start-up Essential confirms $300 million funding round

Smartphone start-up Essential Products has confirmed a $300 million funding round to develop and release a brand new mobile device.

The company was set up by Android operating system co-creator Andy Rubin. The latest investment, originally reported in June 2017, brings total funding in the firm to $330 million.

According to Reuters, the latest funding round included investors such as Tencent, Foxconn, Amazon, Redpoint Ventures and Playground Global.

Readying for retail

Essential has also signed up a number of retailers to sell its first device, including Best Buy, Amazon and mobile carriers Sprint and Telus.

A release date for the company’s debut smartphone, the PH-1, is expected to be announced during the week starting August 14th 2017.

Essential is currently taking reservations through its own website the the phone, which features an edge-to-edge display and an optional 360 camera add-on. The smartphone is currently priced at $699.

The funding round values the company at around $900 million to $1 billion.


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Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.