Solana devs building a crypto-native phone: expected to ship by early 2023

Solana, commonly known as the Ethereum killer for supporting developers around the world in creating scalable decentralized apps, is seeking to enter the telecom industry with the launch of an Android phone.

Besides launching its phone, Solana is also set to launch a subsidiary that will focus on developing Web3 mobile apps.

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The news was broken to the public at an event in New York City where the Solana Labs CEO and co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko launched the new Android phone that will be called Saga.

Features of the new Solana Android phone

The phone will be purpose-built for Web3, which includes NFT marketplaces and a decentralized trading platform.

According to the leaked details, the phone will have a 512 GB storage capacity and a 6.6-inch display. It will also feature private key security measures that will be in-built.

While unveiling the new phone, Yakovenko said:

“Almost 7 billion people use smartphones around the world and more than 100 million people hold digital assets – and both of those numbers will continue to grow. Saga sets a new standard for the web3 experience on mobile.”

Solana’s venture into the telecom industry can be traced to Yakovenko’s background in engineering at Qualcomm where he pioneered technology leveraged by the likes of LG, Google, and Samsung.

Solana Mobile, the new Solana Labs subsidiary

Solana Mobile will focus on developing mobile application technology geared towards Web3.0 and Saga will be its flagship product.

Solana Mobile will also provide developers with a toolkit called “Solana Mobile Stack” for creating mobile crypto applications on Solana Blockchain.

According to a press release, the Solana Mobile Stack will provide “provides a new set of libraries for wallets and apps, allowing developers to create rich mobile experiences on Solana.”

Additionally, Solana will invest up to $10 million for use as an incentive for developers to build apps using the Solana Mobile Stack.

The Saga phone is available for pre-order for a deposit of $100 and could cost as much as $1000 when completed. Solana Mobile forecasts that it will start shipping the new phone by early 2023.