OV1 looks to continue the Essential Phone's legacy with OSOM's improvements.

OV1 looks to continue the Essential Phone's legacy with OSOM's improvements.

If you're not a regular reader of Android blogs, you may not have heard of OSOM Privacy. As a startup founded by ex-Essential personnel who worked on Andy Rubin's PH-1 before it became embroiled in scandal, Jason Keats, Essential's former R&D director, created OSOM in 2020, the same year the company went out of business.

The OV1's privacy-focused design was one of the first things Keats revealed about the device in an interview with Android Police at the end of last year. Also, he had a few things to say about the phone's specifications, such as that it would be powered by a Qualcomm processor at launch. OSOM has revealed more details about the OV1 ahead of its scheduled debut later this year.

This phone will include a Snapdragon 820 chipset, according to an email from the firm to Engadget's editor-in-chief. It's notable that OSOM didn't include Qualcomm's current top chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. That's up to you, of course.

Those of you who have used an Essential Phone are well aware of its lackluster camera. When the light wasn't optimal, it couldn't shoot good images, and its camera app was slow to open. OSOM asserts that the OV1 will not have the same problems. The phone will include a 48-megapixel and a 12-megapixel camera setup. We were told by OSOM that unlike at Essential, we've gathered the support of the greatest teams in the world to provide a genuinely flagship camera experience to our users.".

The device's design is reminiscent of the Essential Phone, as evidenced by the images OSOM provided. The OV1 is "noticeably" larger than its predecessor in order to improve antenna performance and accommodate a larger battery, according to the manufacturer. The phone's back is composed of zirconia, while the body is made of stainless steel and titanium. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus shields the front display. The UWB antenna will be present, like it is on the iPhone, but OSOM hasn't said what the company wants to do with it. Additionally, a secure data cable and a dual SIM card slot will be included with the phone.

The cable's function hasn't been disclosed, but if we had to guess, we'd assume the built-in switch prevents data flow. If you ever need to use a public USB socket, like those on airplanes, to charge your phone, this could come in handy. So far, that's all we know. When the OV1 is released in the fourth quarter of 2022, we may expect to learn more about it.