Is the Essential Phone’s Sprint exclusivity a deal breaker for you? [Poll]

A report emerged yesterday claiming that Sprint would be the exclusive carrier for the Essential Phone, a move that was confirmed by Sprint this morning. What this means for customers in the US is that Andy Rubin’s brand new smartphone can only be bought unlocked for full price or through a single carrier. Will the prospects of you purchasing the Essential Phone be diminished if you can’t buy it from a different cellular carrier?

As we and almost everyone outside of Essential have not had the chance to test the upcoming phone, we do not yet know if it works well or if it’s worth purchasing. What we do know is that it was created by Andy Rubin, the famed creator of the Android operating system. This alone has created a lot of hype around the smartphone.

But seemingly because of Rubin’s ties to Softbank, a company which owns an 83% stake in Sprint, the Essential Phone will only be sold by Sprint in its and Best Buy’s retail and online stores. Of course, the device will also be sold through Essential’s website unlocked for $700 which can be then used on any of the other mobile carriers.

So, since the Essential Phone will exclusively be sold by Sprint and no other carriers, is there less of a chance of your purchasing the handset? Answer the poll below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!