It has been hinted at for quite some time now, but additional information regarding HTC’s “blockchain phone” has been made available. The company has dubbed this unit Exodus and will allow customers to purchase it with cryptocurrency come October. The device itself embraces blockchain tech in a few different ways, although it remains to be seen if people will be genuinely excited about this product.
The HTC Exodus in a Nutshell
It is good to see HTC go through with its plan to launch a blockchain smartphone. However, that description also needs to be clarified a bit, as the device itself mainly relies on blockchain-based encryption, rather than making distributed ledger apps more accessible. Even so, the product itself may offer a lot of benefits over traditional smartphones, depending on how people use their smartphones in 2018 and beyond.
The HTC Exodus will let owners keep their data and cryptocurrencies private and secure on the device itself. Given the global interest in Bitcoin and altcoins, mobile storage solutions are in high demand right now. Additionally, most consumers rely on their smartphones or other mobile devices to perform daily tasks, and thus enabling cryptocurrency functionality makes a lot of sense.
HTC claims this functionality is achieved through a built-in ‘secure hardware enclave’ that protects user information from being tampered with. It’s a very bold claim, albeit one that can be achieved with the right technology in place. Smartphones and other mobile devices have become vulnerable to criminals who target cryptocurrency users. It will not be easy for HTC to make a positive impact in this regard at this time.
Thankfully, it seems the HTC Exodus will offer full DApp support through its native Android software. There will be a universal wallet for users to store cryptocurrencies in. Moreover, the Exodus can serve as a blockchain node on a cryptocurrency network of the user’s choosing. This should lead to a higher degree of node decentralization in the long run, although things are never as easy as they sound.
HTC Exodus Project Lead Phil Chen commented as follows:
There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I believe the mobile hardware layer can contribute significantly to our decentralized world. I want to see a world where the end consumers can truly own their data, such as browsing history, identity, assets, wallets, emails, messaging, without the need for central authorities.
With other manufacturers looking to create their own blockchain phones in the near future, things will undoubtedly get very interesting for this completely new market. Companies will need to offer something unique to make their creations stand out from the rest, although that is much easier said than done. The HTC Exodus will be available for purchase later this year and can be paid for with cryptocurrency. At this time, it remains unclear which currencies will be supported.
