We’ve been telling you about the OSOM OV1, the new Android phone that is being developed by the team that was behind the Essential Phone. The new handset focuses on privacy and will ship with a special “Secure Data Cable” that will prevent data from being collected via your phone when it is plugged into a public charging port. OSOM plans on making the cable available as a separate accessory even before the phone is released during the fourth quarter.
OSOM’s original OV1 render was too generous when it came to the bottom bezel
A new image released by OSOM (which is pronounced “awesome”) includes a new render showing the front bottom of the phone’s display. The original render featured stunningly thin side and bottom bezels, but this was replaced by the revised render that showed the bottom bezels on the phone to be thicker than what was shared by the company with the first render.
At left, the first OV1 render showed a very thin bottom bezel but a new render shows the truth
You will notice that some of the icons shown on the phone are apps that are focused on privacy and could be pre-installed on the OV1 (which stands for OSOM Vault 1) or were used on the render to emphasize the phone’s privacy angle. For example, we can see the icon for the Brave Browser; the latter is an open-source and privacy-focused browser. Other apps seen on the render include Proton Mail, an email app that says its puts privacy first, and messaging app Signal.
One of the features that the OSOM OV1 is taking from the Essential Phone is fast Android updates. OSOM co-founder Jason Keats remembered how angry Google used to get with the speed at which the Essential Phone offered Android updates to users. ccording to Keats, “Literally, we would get yelled at by Google for being too fast… they would then say, ‘We will not allow you to push your update until the Pixel team is ready.”
The OSOM OS1 will not be available from carriers
The handset will sport a triangular dual-camera module on the back panel along with a capacitive fingerprint scanner. The rear camera sensors will weigh in at 48MP and 12MP with a 16MP front-facing camera sensor for the selfie camera. Keats says that the company won’t have to sell one million units in order to be a financial success. But that doesn’t mean that OSOM isn’t loading up the device with flagship-type specs including a battery that runs all day and 5G support.
The screen will be protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and the phone will feature a stainless steel body with some titanium accents. The back will be ceramic and the first two color options are matte black and white. A third color option is expected to be available as well.
The OSOM OV1 will be released with Android 12 pre-installed, but this will be a near-stock version of the operating system similar to how Android was presented on the Essential Phone. But don’t be misled; the OSOM OV1 is not a sequel to the PH-1. It also will not be sold by carriers which means that the company will either be forced to spend money to promote it or depend on word of mouth.
