In a series of unfortunate events, OSOM, the company that emerged from the ashes of the smartphone startup Essential, is set to close its doors. This news comes as a shock following a turbulent week for the company, marked by legal disputes and uncertainty over its future.
Origins of OSOM
Founded in 2020, OSOM was born out of the ashes of Essential, a smartphone startup led by Android co-founder Andy Rubin. The initial struggles of Essential were rooted in the poor sales of its first smartphone, the Essential Phone, coupled with Rubin’s previous allegations of inappropriate behavior while at Google. These factors led to a loss of trust in Rubin and, consequently, the demise of Essential as a company.
The New Venture: OSOM
Following Essential’s dissolution, OSOM was established by former Essential development lead Jason Keats, along with other former executives and employees. The name OSOM, which stands for Out of Sight, Out of Mind, symbolized the company’s goal to create privacy-focused products. Among their offerings was the OSOM privacy cable, a USB-C data cable with a switch to shut off data signals, and the OSOM OV1 smartphone, designed with a suite of privacy and security features.
Blockchain Partnership and Saga
In an effort to secure funding for mass production, marketing, and future development, OSOM partnered with Solana, one of the largest cryptocurrency platforms. This partnership led to the launch of the OV1 smartphone as Saga, complete with blockchain-related functionalities. However, in March, Solana decided not to proceed with OSOM’s development of Saga Two, a critical turning point for the company’s prospects.
Tightening Grip on Success
This decision marked a significant downturn for OSOM, as the company attempted to reposition its next product as an AI camera and explored the possibility of selling the company to HP. Unfortunately, neither of these strategies proved successful, and the company was unable to secure additional funding. With its financial resources nearly depleted, OSOM’s management decided to close the company.
Internal Meeting and Employee Outcomes
In a recent internal meeting, OSOM’s leadership announced the closure of the company. Most employees will be laid off by this Friday, with a select few engineers remaining as contractors to fulfill obligations under a contract with Solana for a security update on the Saga device by December. Employees have been informed of their severance packages and eligibility for COBRA, standard practices in large-scale layoffs.
Legal Disputes and Financial Claims
The company’s future has also been clouded by legal disputes, including a recent lawsuit filed by former chief privacy officer Mary Stone Ross, who is responding to allegations of financial impropriety. OSOM has denied these claims and stated they are looking forward to refuting them in court.
Conclusion
With the closure of OSOM, the company’s hopes to continue production of the Saga Two for Solana have been dashed. Solana Mobile, the potential successor to OSOM, has not publicly commented on their plans, leaving the future of the Saga Two uncertain. This development marks the end of a venture that sought to innovate in privacy and smartphone technology, leaving a legacy of lessons in the pursuit of sustainability in the tech industry.
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