OSOM OV1 – a fully privacy focused phone being developed by the team behind Essential Phone

OSOM products has announced OSOM OV1, a privacy-focused phone. OSOM products is based out of Quebec, Canada, and was founded by Jason Keats last year.
The core team of OSOM is the same team behind Essential PH-1.

OSOM, which stands for “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” was formed in November of last year and
reportedly secured $5.6 million in its initial funding. The company’s founder is Jason Keats, who
was the head of research and development at Essential and worked at Apple before that.

The OSOM OV1 is focusing on privacy, with unique software features in development to reduce
the amount of data sent to the cloud services.

Privacy

OSOM’s big focus however will be user privacy and more importantly having detailed reports on info which apps are accessing at all times. Keats mentions that the device will be “100-fold more powerful” at letting users know what information is being accessed at all times than competing Android smartphones.

The operating system will supposedly appear similar to “stock” Android (complete with all the
usual Google services and apps), just like the Essential PH-1, but with changes targeting privacy and security.

Camera and other specifications

OSOM OV1 (Vault 1) will feature a dual rear camera setup with a back-mounted fingerprint
sensor. The phone will have an unspecified Qualcomm chipset. The device will run a near-stock
Android interface and we’ll get to learn more details about it at MWC in February. Jason Keats
specified OV1 is not a sequel to the Essential PH-1 and that the phone will bring Google Mobile
Services.

About the Essential PH-1

Essential PH-1 was released in 2017. It had a ceramic casing and a display notch (which wasn’t common then) which stood out from the crowd. However, a sequel was never officially released and the company shut its doors in early 2020. Even though Essential in its original form no longer exists, some of its former staff have started up OSOM Products.

Development and launch of OSOM OV1

OSOM OV1 is still in its development stage and the render is based on the first working prototype so there are plenty of things that can change. The company’s goal is to have the phone out on the market by Summer 2022.