Launching a telephone firm is a remarkably tough — some even say silly — factor to do. OSOM Products, which rose out of the smoldering ashes of Essential in 2020, is closing store. Android Authority was first to report the information, after getting access to an inside announcement from CEO Jason Keats.
OSOM at all times had a tough highway, with plans to launch a privacy-focused handset. And very like Essential earlier than it, the corporate handled its personal authorized struggles — particularly a lawsuit in opposition to filed by a former worker alleging monetary mismanagement.
For its half, the corporate did handle to launch a cell gadget, although not the first-party telephone it had introduced. Rather the corporate lent its expertise to a Web3 targeted units from Solana.
OSOM did handle to convey a product to market beneath its personal identify. The OSOM Privacy Cable is successfully a USB twine whose knowledge switch could be disabled in conditions the place “juice jackers” may be current.
“The report in Android Authority is right, OSOM is unfortunately shutting down. In May of 2024, having no clients for a cell phone regardless of concerted efforts, OSOM on the time determined to pivot to a brand new mission,” CEO Jason Keats mentioned in a press release supplied to TechCrunch. “OSOM was pressured to let go of plenty of staff at the moment to cut back our burn charge.”
The “new mission” would seem to check with an “AI-powered digicam” it deliberate as a followup to its unreleased smartphone. According to preliminary reviews, Keating had tried to promote the corporate off to HP, however was unable to strike a deal.
“Unfortunately, given the awful market local weather for fundraising for client electronics startups, we had been unable to boost a brand new spherical,” Keats says. “While some upkeep operations to make sure contractual necessities will proceed, OSOM’s common operations will shut down on September 6.”
