Smartphone revolution may have stumbled to a stop in recent years, but Taiwanese firm HTC has come up with a plan to revive the omnipresent gadget with a new smartphone that is powered by blockchain technology.
The technology, called Exodus will include a protected hardware enclave designed for cryptocurrencies. The new phone will also have a universal wallet, which will support Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dfinity, Lightning Networks and other leading cryptocurrencies. Users will be able to make and accept crypto payments. Each device would also act as a node to allow users trade in cryptocurrency.
“Our vision is to expand the blockchain ecosystem by creating the world’s first phone dedicated to decentralized applications and security,” HTC said on a website dedicated to the Exodus phones.
“With the release of the HTC Exodus we can now make this a reality… we believe we can help reshape the internet.”
The Exodus phone would also support decentralized apps via its hardware, which HTC claims would be safer than standard apps.
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HTC has long been innovators in mobile technology: they produced the first Android smartphone, the first Facebook phone, the first Nexus device, the first 1080p smartphone, the first 4G phone, the first Pixel phone…and the list goes on and on. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they are the first leading smartphone maker to produce a blockchain-powered smartphone.
HTC Exodus is a blockchain smartphone, coming soon
Wondering what the next big buzzword for smartphones is? Sure, at the moment every manufacturer left and right is busy touting some kind of AI for its latest devices, but the future is blockchain. The future of buzzwords in… pic.twitter.com/sS6jzCqfmS
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This is not the first time the idea of a blockchain smartphone has been announced. Last year, Sirin Labs unveiled a blockchain-powered phone and PC. The Finney smartphone with a price tag of $999 is scheduled to be released later this year and will also have a cryptocurrency wallet.
HTC hasn’t released any image of the Exodus smartphone nor did it say anything about the price tag. Only a blueprint of its components was released.
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While the idea of a decentralized phone may sound appealing, there are software applications already in existence that enables much of the range of capabilities that the Exodus brags.
While those involved with cryptocurrency trading largely welcomed the Exodus phone on social media, some suggest HTC was the latest company to use the term ‘blockchain’ as a marketing tool.
Phil Chen, who previously worked on HTC’s Vive virtual reality headset, is leading the Exodus development.
“I want to see a world where the end consumers can truly own their data without the need for central authorities,” Mr. Chen said while announcing the smartphone at Consensus 2018.
“There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I believe the mobile hardware layer can contribute significantly to our new decentralized world.”
