Android creator launches smartphone

The creator of the Android software, Mr Andy Rubin, is set to enter the hardware market with a handset that promises to tackle the clutter, complexity and rapid obsolescence of current devices.

Mr Rubin said he is issuing the high-quality Essential Phone, which includes accessories such as a 360-degree camera that can be attached magnetically, reported AFP.

"For all the good Android has done to help bring technology to nearly everyone, it has also helped create this weird new world where people are forced to fight with the very technology that was supposed to simplify their lives," Mr Rubin said.

The Essential Phone will first be released in the US for US$699 (S$970). They can be reserved on www.essential.com.

Mr Rubin expects the Android-powered smartphones to ship in about 30 days.