Nothing, the recently-launched startup from former OnePlus executive, Carl Pei, has acquired the Essential brand, according to a report from 9to5Google citing filings at the UK Intellectual Property Office. Essential, of course, was the company started by Android creator Andy Rubin after he left Google. It launched a single smartphone before shuttering its doors due to poor sales performance. Nothing’s acquisition, which was completed on January 6th, 2021, ahead of Pei’s formal announcement of Nothing, apparently includes all of the trademarks, logo, and other branding of Essential.
It’s not clear what Pei’s new company plans to do with the Essential brand (or anything else for that matter; the information on what exactly Nothing’s…