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Amazon-exclusive Essential Phone features Alexa built-in

By Adam Westlake/

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It's only been a day since Essential announced three new limited edition color options for its flagship PH-1 phone, but it turns out Andy Rubin's startup has one more surprise to add to the mix. Dubbed Halo Gray, this new version sports a stylish look like the previously announced Ocean Depths, Stellar Gray, and Copper Black, however, it's only available from Amazon, and includes a few other noticeable differences.

The biggest addition to the Halo Gray Essential Phone is that it comes with Amazon's smart assistant Alexa already installed on the device. Essential touts that this is a first for its debut smartphone, but those who aren't fans of pre-installed bloatware will be happy to hear that Alexa can be uninstalled.

You might be asking why one would buy the Essential Phone from Amazon if they're not at all interested in Alexa. Well, for starters, the Halo Gray model is only $450, making it $150 cheaper than Essential's other new color options. It's available for pre-order now and due to start shipping on February 21st. Early customers also have the option of getting the Halo Gray phone with Essential's 360-degree camera in a $500 bundle.

The Halo Gray design is admittedly similar to the new Stellar Gray limited edition option, pairing the same matte black ceramic with a lighter shade of titanium for the metal frame. However, what's nice about the Amazon-exclusive model is that it's not a limited edition variant, meaning it will continue to be available in the weeks and months to come. Those interested should note the $450 price is only for early buyers, as it goes up to $500 starting on February 24th.

SOURCE Essential

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