‘Essential scraps upcoming smartphone and puts itself in the shop window’

Essential Products Inc., which was co-founded by Android pioneer Andy Rubin, is said to have stopped developing a smartphone successor to its first product, the Essential Phone. The company would also be looking for a potential buyer.

Essential was developing a new smartphone, but has stopped and now focuses mainly on an unspecified smart home product. Bloomberg claims that based on sources familiar with Essential’s plans. The smart home product should be released sometime next year.

Co-founder Rubin does not deny the reporting. On Twitter, he reports that there are always several products in development and that some can be scrapped if the preference is for products that can become successful. Future products include mobile and home products, he says.

Essential would also investigate a possible sale and a potentially interested party would have come forward. The sale would affect the entire company, including patents and likely personnel, should Essential decide to go ahead with it.

Essential began shipping its Essential smartphone last August. There had been indications for some time that the sale was not going well.