OSOM upgrades the expected chipset for its new 5G Android phone; release is now delayed

Back in December, we told you that part of the team that created the Essential Phone was doing what they do best-creating a new Android smartphone brand. The new one is written as OSOM but is pronounced "awesome." And the company's first phone is named the OSOM OV1. OSOM actually is an acronym for "Out of sight, Out of mind," and OV1 stands for OSOM Vault 1.

While vaults might take your mind to an image of Scrooge McDuck swimming through his vast wealth, when it comes to smartphones it is a symbol of privacy. Privacy is big at OSOM and according to 9to5Google, the phone will ship with a "Secure Data Cable." This USB cable has a switch that prevents the transfer of data when you plug your phone into a public charging port.

Using the special cable will make sure that your phone is only being charged when using an insecure outlet (and by that, we don't mean that the outlet isn't confident in its ability to charge your phone). It means that with the cable in place, your phone won't be getting grilled for your location or recent browsing history and will only replenish the battery. The firm plans to spend the summer discussing how its software will keep users' data from getting collected by third-party firms.

Unfortunately, OSOM will be following the recent trend that excludes the placement of chargers in the box with a new phone. The "Secure Data Cable" will be included. The phone will include two SIM slots but eSIM will not be used because of the agreements with carriers that this would require. The phone will support UWB which is used by Apple, Google, Samsung, and others to help users find certain lost items with pinpoint accuracy by using their phones.

With all this in mind, the device was originally supposed to surface at MWC last month, and when that failed to occur, OSOM CEO Wolfgang W. Muller hinted at a summer unveiling. Now the company is looking at a delay from a Q3 2022 release to Q4 because of a change in the chipset it plans to use.

The original plan was to use the previous generation's Snapdragon 888 chipset on the handset, but wisely OSOM realized that it doesn't want to release its first phone with an older component. Sure, the Snapdragon 888 is still capable, but in a competitive business, the last thing you need is a reputation for being cheap and out-of-date.

Instead, the company said that the OSOM OV1 will have a newer SoC "based on Snapdragon 8 series." That hints at the use of silicon even newer than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that is Qualcomm's latest flagship. The display will be protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and features a body made from stainless steel with titanium buttons and a titanium housing for the camera array.

The back of the phone is made from a Ceramic Zirconia material, and will be offered in a polished white color and a matte black. Last month the company discussed other color options such as Solar Yellow, Borealis Green, Twilight Blue, and Dusk Purple. LinkedIn readers favored the Green in a poll.

The OSOM OV1 will support 5G which is one of the reasons why it will sport a large capacity battery that will allow the device to run "beyond all-day." The "truly flagship" experience will include a 48MP primary camera sensor with a 12MP secondary camera sensor.

And if you owned the Essential Phone, you probably recall how quickly Android updates hit your phone. OSOM co-CEO Jason Keats said that Google used to get mad at Essential for releasing those updates so fast. The good news is that zippy Android updates are expected to be a feature of the OSOM OV1. And even more exciting is the plan to include four years of Android updates for the device with more possible if the phone is still widely in use.

It sounds exciting to be sure, but now the pressure is on OSOM to deliver.