Three of the big four carriers in the US have confirmed their stance on Andy Rubin’s new Essential Phone. The device, which according to its manufacturer will be able to work on all four carriers, looks to receive relatively minimal support from each of the carriers. Now, although owners of the device will be able to receive calls and text like with any other smartphone, it appears the lack of support from each individual carrier could prove to be a significant drawback.
Starting with Verizon, the company has confirmed that the device may work on its network, though they have warned that the same quality of service, as well as the overall experience, can not be guaranteed to be on par with devices that have been tested to work on their network. Interestingly, though, the company declined to comment when it came to whether they would sell the device, meaning the door may still be open for a possible retail deal between the companies. Moving on to T-Mobile, and the Uncarrier has confirmed that the Essential Phone will definitely work on the network, though, just like Verizon, they can not guarantee that all advanced features will work. Nonetheless, the company was certainly more positive when it came to the device and is welcoming anybody with the device to use it on their network. Currently, it appears Essential has not approached the carrier about selling the device.
Finally, Sprint is the last carrier to have confirmed its support so far. Much like T-Mobile, Sprint is being more positive in the fact that it is sure the device will work, but at the same time, it’s refusing to give away much detail, with more specific information set to be revealed at a later date. Essential has stated that it’s working hard to make the device more widely available, so it’ll remain to be seen what plans the company has in store. With AT&T yet to confirm its position surrounding the device, it’s possible the carrier could surprise consumers by announcing a retail deal with Essential regarding the smartphone. Either way, it appears that the Essential Phone will go down the route of the OnePlus 3T for now, with Android enthusiasts and consumers looking for something more unique being the majority of people interested in the device.