The Essential Phone is now effectively discontinued, going out of stock with no hope of becoming available again.
However, the company isn't done just yet, as it's already focusing efforts on its "next mobile product."
Essential Phone Reaches End Of Life
An Essential spokesperson confirmed to Droid Life that the handset, also known as the PH-1, isn't available anymore and won't be restocked again.
"We are sold out of Essential Phone on essential.com and won't be adding any new inventory," they said.
The device went out of stock during the holiday season not only on the Essential Shop but also on third-party websites. On Best Buy, the unlocked version is no longer available, though the Sprint model is still up for grabs. At the time of this writing, it's mostly gone on Amazon too.
Units went flying off the shelves likely because of the numerous discounts and deals that took place recently. Soon enough, the only option that's going to be left for those who still want to get their hands on the phone is second-hand sellers.
Droid Life also mentions that most references to the company's smart home hub have been removed, which could mean it will not materialize anymore.
What This Means For Current Owners
Just because production has ceased doesn't mean it's the end of support for the Essential Phone. The company says timely software updates will still be coming in and that customer support will continue for the foreseeable future. In addition, mobile accessories will still be available for purchase.
With Android cofounder Andy Rubin in the helm, Essential went off to a pretty good start. The phone was received well by users, but it never did become big. The company had been facing weak sales, which forced them into implementing discounts that dropped the device's price by hundreds of dollars.
Back in May, reports have even said that the second-generation Essential Phone was canceled and that the startup was put on sale.
At the moment, there's no word on when the phone maker will unveil its next mobile product or reveal what it exactly is.
