Andy Rubin's Essential Phone is about to prove itself next week

The Essential Phone is the new smartphone we officially know about, yet it's somehow more of a mystery than the still-rumored iPhone 8, Note 8 and LG V30.

That's going to change on Friday, August 25, when Andy Rubin hosts a 'first look' of the new Android handset with modular capabilities, reports 9to5Google.

It'll happen from 6pm to 9pm PT in Los Angeles, meaning the middle of the night or the next day in many parts of the world, including the UK.

But it's finally coming. Rubin, the co-founder of Android, recently tweeted that Essential Phone production has begun after several weeks of delays.

Why The Essential Phone is one to watch

The Essential PH-1 is proving to be an interesting phone. It has a large 5.71-inch screen with very little bezel, except for a small, odd camera notch at the top.

It also takes cues from the Moto Z2 Force and Moto Z2 Play with its modular capabilities, which include a 360-degree camera add-on. Snapping on the 360 camera requires no annoying pairing or separate charging like the Samsung Gear 360.

The rest of the phone will feature top-notch specs, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 128GB of storage and a dual-lens camera.

It will, however, cost a lot. The Essential Phone price is $699 (about £536, AU$889), while there's a generous phone and 360 camera bundle for just $50 more (a $150 savings).

We'll let you know what we find out during the Friday, August 25 event.