INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Essential has been nearly radio silent since reports surfaced late last month that Andy Rubin was looking for a buyer for his hardware
The company didn&t really confirm or deny the rumors — or say much else for that matter
A few weeks later, the company does have some news — but it not what you were most likely expecting
The startup just dropped the second modular accessory for its first smartphone
The Audio Adapter HD features a built-in amp and the ability to play back MQA (Master Quality Authenticated), a hi-res streaming audio
Oh, and there a 3.5mm audio jack, because everything that old is new again.
Bonus track: We teamed up with @TIDAL to give new and existing
Essential Phone customers a free 3-month TIDAL HiFi subscription
Learn how to redeem this offer and start listening to thousands of MQA tracks today: https://t.co/JUYZD89dto pic.twitter.com/ETM58Hjqa9
—
Essential (@essential) June 7, 2018
The new add-on is set to drop at some point this summer
The company has also teamed up with Tidal
The streaming service has also reportedly had some issues of late, though, for its part, the company did offer a more outright denial
The partnership gives new and existing Essential customers a three-month trial subscription of Tidal HiFi service — a taste of what
they&ve been missing with their low bit rates
The company has declined to provide pricing for the add-on
Its first mod, the 360-degree camera, retailed for $200 at launch, though that price has since dropped considerably on retailers like Amazon
— much like the Essential phone itself
As with the camera, the Audio Adapter HD feels like a niche, compared to mods from Motorola, which include things like battery packs and
At the very least, however, it does show that there still some life left in the Essential line
