Essential Phone finally available to order, Sprint offering discount on lease

It might be hard to believe, but it’s already been three months since Andy Rubin’s new company Essential debuted the Essential Phone. Hype was pretty strong at the time, but since then, the delay in its availability may have dimmed that lime light just a bit.

However, if you’ve been waiting to buy an Essential Phone, your time has finally come. Today Essential confirmed that the Essential Phone is officially available to order beginning today, and what’s more, Sprint has them available with a steep discount on a lease.

Beginning today, customers can order the Essential Phone from Essential itself, as well as Amazon, Best Buy, and Sprint. If you go with the unlocked model, that will set you back $699. Amazon and Essential are offering the unlocked model, while Best Buy and Sprint are offering up the Sprint version. The unlocked Essential Phone is capable of working on all four major wireless networks in the U.S.

Sprint is asking $0 down and $29.17 per month for 18 months for the Essential Phone. However, for a limited time Sprint selling the phone at half-off, so you’ll only pay $14.58 per month for 18 months. The carrier also confirmed that orders place will begin shipping by August 28.

If you want to go with the Best Buy option, you’ll be paying $29.17 per month for 24 months.

Finally, Android updates. Andy Rubin today also confirmed that the Essential Phone will be getting Android OS updates for two years. Those updates are guaranteed, similar to how they are for Pixel devices, so that should be good news for anyone that plans on using that device for that long. Meanwhile, security updates will arrive on a monthly basis for up to three years.

So, who’s picking up an Essential Phone?

source: androidandme