Remember the Essential Phone, which was delayed so much it launched right in the middle of the iPhone (and Pixel 2) hype season? The phone built by Andy Rubin’s new company offers an innovative design and a great software loadout, but the subpar camera and lack of water resistance put it solely in the “second-tier” phone category. Essential’s second-tier phone still had a top-tier price, though, which made it a tough sell in the ultra-competitive world of smartphones.