Despite apparently weak sales, Essential appears to be committed to developing its Essential Phone PH-1. In its latest Reddit AMA, the company revealed it is bringing Treble, tap to wake and EIS to the device in the forthcoming Android 8.0 Oreo update.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Essential-Phone-getting-Treble-double-tap-to-wake-EIS.271942.0.html