. @Arubin's @essential smartphone is still a long way from becoming a successful venture. In 2017, it shipped less than 90K units (first six months after launch) pic.twitter.com/NHVlA2Gjzr — Francisco Jeronimo (@fjeronimo) February 12, 2018

Even if Essential had sold twice or three times as many phones, it would still be a long way off from disrupting Samsung or Apple dominance in the market, with the latter company selling over 1 million iPhone 8s and Xs per day according to Forbes. Of course, this is a startup and Essential Phone is its first product. No one expects Apple-level shipments right away. Still, the number is pretty low, especially given the hype around the device. The Rubin-led company has had several snafus in getting its flagship phone to market, too, including months-long delays and lawsuits claiming that Essential's accessory technology is stolen.