In a public post on his website since locked, former Essential designer Kevin Hoffman has posted renders of two Essential PH-1 sequels that until now have never seen the light of day. The Essential PH-2 and Essential PH-3 provides a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been had Andy Rubin's company not gone under.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Stillborn-Essential-Phone-PH-2-PH-3-renders-show-gorgeous-iPhone-like-design.458643.0.html
The whole Essential Phone business model was nothing but delusions of grandeur. They were aiming for a lifestyle, when they didn't have a product.
Even the dying Harley Davidson still had some amount of product, in order to push lifestyle.
Also, calling the company Essential then launching expensive gadgets doesn't really gel. I get what they are trying, but when I think essentials, I think of basic needs (e.g, food, water, air, toilet paper [...], etc), not a $700 phone that had the featureset of a $500 phone. By the time the price dropped to $500, it was far too little, too late.