Osom OV1 is an Essential Phone reboot with a privacy focus
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(Pocket-lint) – Osom, a new tech startup that reportedly consists of former Essential employees, has announced some details about its flagship, privacy-focused phone coming later this year.
Called the OV1, it features a stainless steel frame with titanium accents, a ceramic back, Corning Victus cover glass, and a Qualcomm processor. It will be available in white and matte black to start, but apparently more colours are in the works. Android Police claimed the OV1 is “noticeably bigger” than the critically acclaimed Essential Phone – which it resembles, though that apparently wasn’t intentional. It’s just the same team that engineered and designed the Essential Phone also designed the OV1.
Very excited to announce that the OV1 will be based on a @Snapdragon 8 series chipset. Though this means a slight delay in our original ship date, it also means a more feature-rich, more private experience for you. Coming Q4 2022!#osom2022 #ownyourprivacy pic.twitter.com/SttMIXKgEz
— OSOMPrivacy (@OsomPrivacy) March 3, 2022
The OV1 was supposed to be fully announced at the start of March, according to TechCrunch, but that’s been delayed so the company can upgrade the phone’s processor. Osom is aiming to use a Snapdragon 8 series chipset, but it hasn’t said yet which specific chip. It has said the phone will boast an “all-day” battery life and support for ultra-wideband. We can expect a “truly flagship camera experience” on the OV1 too – thanks to rear 48-megapixel and 12-megapixel cameras and a 16-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Finally, it will have space for two physical SIM cards and will ship with a USB-C to C cable in the box – but no charging brick. That said, the USB-C is one of the things that make the OV1 a privacy-focused phone, as it features a physical switch that lets users toggle between charging and sharing data.
A light will also indicate which mode is in use.
Founder and CEO Jason Keats has told the media that Osom wants to build devices and software and services that “facilitate individual user privacy”. Details are still thin, as is the precise date of launch and price for the OV1. Reportedly, it should launch in the US around Q4 and be priced well under $1,000.
Writing by Maggie Tillman.
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