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Different [1] is one of my favorite books on how to find a unique niche in crowded markets. It is written by a (brilliant) marketing professor but is useful for product strategy. Also see Blue Ocean Strategy [2] on this topic.

Essential had neither of these approaches.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Different-Escaping-Competitive-Youngm... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Ocean-Strategy-Expanded-Uncontes...

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I disagree. They are pursuing a Blue Ocean strategy but failing in execution as well as suffering from fast followers.

"Essential Phone The most beautiful Android upgrade, ever." is the tagline on their homepage. That's hardly an uncontested product niche (aka Blue Ocean Strategy). Apple dominates "beautiful" phones. Even if you believe the Android carve out (I don't), this is literally what Samsung has been doing for years and Google is doing with Pixel.

Doomed strategy from the start.

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