After a series of launch teasers and little information about upcoming product lines, Carl Pei’s Nothing technology brand is now the sole owner of the once essential smartphone brand.
There has been much speculation about the first wave of products from former director OnePlus Carl Pei and his brand “Nothing”. The company recently confirmed that Nothing will introduce a range of wireless headsets with a broader focus on smart home technology and integration as the “Nothing” product line expands.
9to5Google recently discovered documents in the UK Intellectual Property Office showing that former Android founder Andy Rubin signed the ownership of his former smartphone competitor Essential to Carl Pei’s Nothing Technologies Limited. This process was completed on January 6, 2021, with the registration actually being made on November 11, 2020.
This means that all existing trademarks, logo and the entire Essential brand are now intellectual property of the startup invested by Alphabet of Pei, although it is unclear how it affects any of the patents currently held by Essential. While this does not necessarily mean that Nothing is entering the smartphone market, it may be a sign of intent to do so in the not too distant future.
Essential itself was working on its own smart Home hub and speaker that would run the “Ambient OS”. The device was originally planned to launch in late 2017, but it never made it to the market. Nothing has pledged to launch its “first smart devices in the first half of this year”. It is also unclear whether ex-Essential engineers also joined Pei’s startup as part of that involvement, as it appears that the process includes only the portfolio of brands and brands.
The change of ownership from Essential to Pei’s Nothing will come with some additional baggage. Rubin’s public allegations of sexual harassment effectively ended hopes that PH-1 would receive follow-up from PH-2. “Project Gem”, the proposed candybar prototype was suggested in October 2019, but canceled just three months later, with the total shutdown and closure of the United States-based technology company.
A team of former Essential employees who helped build the PH-1 also formed OSOM Privacy. The goal is to create an Android device with a focus on privacy for launch in early 2021. It is unclear where this puts Nothing given the acquisition of the Essential brand or whether the focus will remain entirely on smart devices.
Nothing is set to reveal more information about the next products in the coming days through its official website. Let’s hope it is … essentially nothing …
It can be speculated that this is a move from Nothing to access Essential’s patent catalog, with several patents related to “Voice setup instructions” and “voice enabled home setup”. With a primary focus for Nothing being on smart devices and therefore smart home technology, this would allow for even faster development of improved technologies as the brand grows rapidly.
We contacted Nothing to comment on the matter above and will update if we receive an official response.
More on Android:
FTC: We use affiliate links for cars that generate revenue. Most.
Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: