The Essential Phone, even with its below-average performance, touch responsiveness, and camera, still has me holding out hope for update magic that’ll eliminate its flaws and allow the phone’s software to stop embarrassing its incredible build and design. It’ll probably never happen, but Essential keeps trying. In the latest attempt to salvage whatever they can from this first frustrating phone, we’ve got a big camera update to play with.
Essential says that the newest camera (which can be updated to right away on Google Play), adds Auto-HDR, a new HDR algorithm that “improves camera performance and scene rendering,” dynamic HDR and flash indicators, and “various” other stability fixes. That’s a lot!
Early reviews of the update suggest that the shutter lag has been greatly reduced and that low-light images might be improved too, thanks to this new HDR fun. Hey, I’m always down for some algorithmic action. Give me all your algorithms.
We’re going to update to it as soon as we can and snap away. Let us know if you see big improvements.
https://twitter.com/essential/status/961690199242694656
Just more evidence that the phone should have been delayed until 2018. I’m not bashing the phone, I believe that Essential rushed this phone to market way too soon.
Someone was drinking when they wrote this idiotic article, below average performance really, LMAO. My essential PH-1 flies, maybe if you remover snapcrap and Facecrap your phone will become more snappy, I get 172K in AnTuTu, the phone is smooth as butter and fast.
So once you start putting apps on the phone it gets bogged down? Wow that sucks! Almost bought it too, thanks for the heads up!
FB and Snapchat slow down most phones. Not just Essential. I couldn’t even use Snapchat on my Nexus 6 because of the laggy camera.
Yeah, that’s a Snapchat issue. They’re anti-android.
I actually enjoy this phone a lot, since putting Oreo on it, it is smooth and bugs are very infrequent. Occasionally you need a reboot; but Samsungs need them just as much. Considering I only Paid $388 for it, this thing is really nice. Hardware is SICK too. Battery life is really good also.
Congratulations
I get 205K with Faceclog on my phone.
This actually fixed most, if not all of the problems I was having with Essential’s camera. It’s still not amazing, but it’s good in a pinch.
Crashed right after I tried it
But was there any lag, or did it crash right away?
…I’ll keep my eye on the subreddit for answers.
Mine had lag then crashed. I took about 20 pictures after without any issues. We’ll see what happens. I say they make the PH-2 with the pixel camera and call it a day. Would be the best phone around imho!
I’ll be picking one of these up when the price drops to 99 bucks.
Says the guy who never touched or used the phone.
On sale today for 449 on Amazon.
Anyone know if the camera is improved drastically?
You’ll get Answers in the subreddit
Yes. Very much improved. See my above comment
PH-2. . . We need a release date.
You’ll get Answers in the subreddit.
Fake News.