Solana’s Web3 smartphone “Saga” to be released on May 8 | coindesk JAPAN | Coindesk Japan

Solana Mobile (Solana Mobile) announced on April 14 that it will start general sales of cryptocurrency compatible smartphone “Saga” on May 8. Pre-orders are shipping now.

Saga is betting that mobile will be integral to the future of crypto assets, company staff told CoinDesk. About 10 months ago, Solana first mentioned the potential of smartphones to double as cryptocurrency hardware wallets and what such devices could bring to the ecosystem.

The new device, priced at $1,000, is based on hardware from Bay Area smartphone company OSOM. It will have 512GB of storage, two rear cameras, a 6.67-inch organic EL display, a fingerprint scanner, and the latest Android OS will be installed.

Saga is said to feature a series of custom add-ons, the Solana Mobile Stack (SMS), that integrate crypto utility into smartphone hardware and software. SMS incorporates security features to send, receive, trade and store crypto assets on the device. Private keys are protected with hardware-level encryption.

In addition to the device itself, there is also a Dapp (decentralized app) store with only cryptocurrency applications. Currently, more than a dozen applications such as cryptocurrency trading, inter-wallet communication, music, and digital collectibles can be downloaded, and more are expected in the future.

From major players like HTC to smaller players like Sirin Labs, the failed attempts to build crypto-focused smartphones in the past set an ominous precedent for Solana. Saga is created and marketed to target a single crypto ecosystem.

Solana Foundation staff said that success on mobile is more than a chance to reset the predicament, it is a chance to popularize cryptocurrencies.

｜Translation: coindesk JAPAN
｜Editing: Takayuki Masuda
｜Image: Solana smartphone “Saga” (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
｜ Original: Solana’s Crypto-Ready ‘Saga’ Smartphone Goes on Sale May 8