Solana to Start Delivering Web3 Android Smartphones This Month

Solana is ready with the launch of its web3-focused Android smartphone, a month after its New York City and Miami-based retail stores were shut down.

In June 2022, Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder and CEO, announced the release of Saga, the web-3 Android phone with Mobile Stack.

What to Expect With Solana’s Saga Launch

Solana claims that Saga aims to give users access to crypto platforms and services via mobile phones rather than desktops. 

By April 20, pre-ordered phones should start shipping.

The website notes, “The mobile era of web3 begins now. Premium hardware purpose-built to power web3. Self custody on phone with Seed Vault. Access web3 native dApps. Experience the Saga difference.”

Saga would consist of Solana Mobile Stack (SMS), Seed Vault, Saga Pass, and the dApp Store.

It is supposed to be a mobile operating system with Google Play services included. Meanwhile, the Seed Vault will safeguard private keys with secure hardware and AES encryption. Additionally, it will broaden the user experience to all dApps.

The Solana Mobile Stack is also part of the Saga launch. It is a framework for Android that enables programmers to design engaging mobile interfaces for Solana wallets and applications and provides a ‘Secure Element’ for managing private keys.

In terms of physical features, the Android-13 phone promises a 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide dual-camera system plus a 16MP selfie camera.

A rear fingerprint sensor would also be on the phone’s ceramic back.  

Saga Features Fail to Bump Price

The first 10,000 Saga pre-orders are set to receive a limited-edition collection of NFTs from Solana with the phone. This demonstrates how the blockchain and the Android mobile phone are tightly connected, enabling the management of digital assets like tokens and NFTs.

Solana Mobile is a division under Solana Labs, which is the creator of open-source software and a contributor to Solana software and the protocol.

After multiple network disruptions, Solana has been attempting to reach a wider audience. It experienced a technical problem in February that didn’t result in a total outage but brought to memory some of the Solana network’s previous issues due to numerous disruptions in 2022.

Yakovenko has been promoting blockchain adoption on mobile, as according to the co-founder, more than 100 million people own digital assets, and about 7 billion people use smartphones worldwide.

 The executive envisioned, “Saga sets a new standard for the web3 experience on mobile.”

However, the $1,000.00 mobile failed to allow a bump to the token’s price. At press time, SOL is close to $24.90 after a somewhat muted trade on the daily charts.

However, it has shown a remarkable recovery since its price hit single digits in the last quarter of 2022. This caused it to fall out of the top 20 cryptocurrencies. At the time of writing, it stands as number 11 in terms of market cap on BeInCrypto’s price ranking (CoinMarketCap lists SOL at #10).

Meanwhile, two physical Solana-based retail stores also shut down this year within a year of launch.

According to the foundation, “Solana Spaces,” assisted with almost 16,000 network tutorials in H2 2022. However, with FTX’s collapse and subsequent bankruptcies, the value of the stores declined.