Over the past year I’ve spotted a few articles about Essential Phone prototypes that have gone up for auction on eBay. The main subject of interest is the Essential PH-2 (Project Gem), most recognisable for its candy bar form factor and extremely tall aspect ratio. It got me wondering: why does this device capture so much attention and who are the elusive buyers spending big bucks to get their hands on them?

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to find out; one of them was bought by our very own @3DPrintedCat back in July! So, since he’s a well-known face around here, I’ve hit him with some questions about the device for your viewing pleasure:

R: Let’s cut to the chase, why did you bid on a PH-2?

3D: In a sea of similar phone shapes, it’s always the odd ones that stand out. Big, small, wide, thin—there’s always going to be discussion on how we feel about them, and I want to dive headfirst into that conversation every time.

When we still called them “Phablets” I had one and loved the perspective shift it brought to computing. The larger screen made multitasking more of a feature, fundamentally changing how I interacted with technology. Combine that love of off-the-wall form factors with my admiration for Essential and their simple yet thoughtfully crafted designs, and it was impossible not to fall in love with their Gem Phone.

I remember the excitement of telling my mom about it when posts started appearing on Twitter. I gawked at how perfectly it seemed like it would fit in my hand. That green-teal candy-bar phone became an object of obsession. When Essential slipped away, I was devastated; I thought I’d never get my hands on that dream device. Years later, it’s amazing to see the device resurface, bringing back all the nostalgia and excitement.

With its connection to Nothing after being bought by them, and my standing in the Nothing community as a concept artist, I knew I had to get it. It’s not just a phone; it’s a piece of design history I’m proud to admire.

R: How much did you spend, if you don’t mind me asking?

3D: I spent £1,012 (about $1,293 USD after conversion). At any other time, I wouldn’t have been able to justify the expense, but with my company doing well, it felt like the perfect moment to secure this piece of tech history.

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R: You’ve presumably spent some time exploring the device. What are some of the standout quirks?

3D: The device is an odd one, and it’s not just the form factor. The stock launcher is heavily widget-based, something it shares with NOS, as both focus on at-a-glance usability of the home screen. Much of the phone’s software is heavily custom-built, likely because not many developers designed for the form factor of a thick Apple TV remote. The camera, while fairly well-performing, features a noticeably large bump—a stark contrast to Essential’s only other phone, the PH-1, which had no bump at all. The keyboard has an unusual diagonal layout, but it quickly becomes second nature.

That said, running normal Android apps is possible if you know how to sideload them, as the browser struggles to handle APK installations. The battery life is pretty lacklustre, but given the device’s developmental stage, it wasn’t intended for mass-market sale.

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R: What do you think some of the perks of this candy bar form factor are?

3D: This device feels perfect for the digital detox lifestyle. It’s small enough that you don’t want to use it constantly but feature-packed enough to avoid feeling disconnected in a modern world. Its compact size means it likely won’t create the signature wear marks current phones often cause. Designed for single-hand use, it evokes the Steve Jobs philosophy of one-handed reachability. Ultimately, its shape and simplicity make it ideal for AI-driven interactions rather than extreme, detail-oriented data input—a unique balance between form and function.

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R: What do you plan to do with it now you have it?

3D: As a software developer, I find it fascinating to see how software can be adapted to work well and look good on such an unusual form factor. I’ve even used it as a reference for conceptualizing a Nothing-branded version of this device. It’s exciting to imagine what Nothing might achieve with this foundation. One day, I’d love to see this phone displayed in a case charting the evolution of iconic smartphones—a true testament to its innovative spirit.

A big thank you to @3DPrintedCat for taking the time to share some photos and thoughts!

Personally, I’d love to try dailying a PH-2 for a week, just to experience a truly different form factor - but what do you think?

See you in the comments below ⬇️

    Related discussions

    It looks pretty sick, I like unique devices. If it was a little bit taller and a flip phone (like Z flip) it would be even cooler. 😂

    in a chatgpt first aproch this format could be really useful because you dont have to move right and left your eyes a lot to read but just look still and scroll down. In general this could be useful in reading. As on reader mode on iphone un can get big writing and read easly without going tired. Maybe this is the way to create an “AI computing experience that is less socially disruptive than the iPhone” that jony ive is working on.

      cristian it’s an interesting idea, but I also feel like an at-a-glace home screen without interaction is important. I’m not sure if that OpenAI device will have it but I know for sure I like Nothing’s approaches to the home screen already. I’ve been digging into Smartglasses lately and could see some benefits to that approach to AI first devices. To me though, a screen is always necessary for the privacy it affords to users. So then we are left with silent input options. Keyboard is always the standard option but I wonder the other ideas…

          3DPrintedCat yes the keyboard is still essential. just think about the new type to siri interation. i really like the diagonal keyboard of the ph2 seen in photo. its brilliant: the diagonal is longer than the side. why apple havent put it on the watch?

            Not gonna lie, I like it! I would like to make softwares for it, IMHO offers really good inspiration for new UX interactions

            Such a cool design and I wish we saw more aspect ratios in the market. A device like this could really shake things up, if only to get some creative ideas flowing.

            I own this prototype as well, came with a case as well. I’d love to get nothing OS/software and play store to work! I also have a sealed essential ph-1, 360 camera and their HD audio jack accessory. The ph-2 “gem” phone is an interesting form factory and unfortunately in never came to fruition

              I heard Nothing too was about to be known as Essential..I wonder is there any relation between the two brands?🤔

              • SYL replied to this.

                Rob ⚡️ Well it’s an incredible tech if I’ll be honest, it will be even more cool and enhance it’s portability if it’s a flip, but I’ll still prefer it to be something that controls things like like a remote (for all present and future nothing products) , iPod, documentaion, presentation (projector), reminder, alarm cloc, SOS and so on, though it will be more demanding if its can be foldable to up the size into a normal smartphone size rather than wide as tab; if it can be foldable ( horizontal fold ) then it can be a new kind of smartphone that give pencil or pen like vibe. In conclusion it has a lot of potential

                  Rob ⚡️ Don’t y’all like own Essential? Or at least what is left of it.

                    I recall reading about your excitement on Discord, when you purchased this device, @3DPrintedCat !

                    It is certainly something unique and I love the way you utilise its special form factor in your creative decisions and process. I hope it helps your workflow for many years to come, for how your apps and development can be adjusted for new smartphone form factors.

                    Enjoy this piece of history, I hope it continues to bring you joy 🔥

                      This is awesome! I still wish this would have launched, such a great concept and just something unique and different. It gave me updated Samsung Juke vibes haha.

                      Ealesy101 my design choices are directly impacted by the devices I have around me as I can interact with them in 3d and allows me to have a full understanding, you can expect some of this DNA incorporated into the concepts.

                        I find it very interesting that the phone has the advantage of not needing a lot of space. It is space saving. I think it’s interesting, I’d like to have one. It’s a different format than usual but still high quality.

                        This phone makes me nostalgic. The pre-smarthpone ear where phones came in all shapes and sizes. Candy bars/clamshells/flip phone…. That was creativity at its best!

                        My first phone, the Motorola C330 came with 3 different cases (also the reason I bought it!). Samsung had a credit card sized phone or Panasonic’s matchbox sized phone…amazing days!

                        BTW, this form factor folded as a flip phone is fodder for thought!