A look at blockchain and web3 smartphones you can buy in future

We do everything on smartphones these days. It's almost as if we have become inseparable from these minicomputers. Therefore, for blockchain to see the next level of mainstream adoption, people should be able to access blockchain-related products and services on their phones.

This was the central premise occupying the mind-space of the crypto industry when blockchain phones first hit the market in 2018. Top smartphone manufacturers began foraying into this nascent market, introducing feature-heavy blockchain phones.

These devices set the foundation for today's newer web3 and crypto phones. But what are blockchain smartphones, and how do they work? Let's find out!

A blockchain phone is a device that provides you with all the functionality of a typical smartphone whilst also making it easier for you to hold and use your cryptocurrencies.

They usually offer crypto storage, a gateway to the metaverse and support for decentralised applications (dApps). Some of these phones will also allow you to mine cryptocurrencies and host a blockchain node.

Perhaps, the first blockchain phone to enter the market was the HTC Exodus 1, which was announced in October 2018. Among many other things, the phone featured a crypto hardware wallet and could also run a full Bitcoin node.

A couple of months later, Israeli-based Sirin Labs launched Finney. The phone was named after Hal Finney, a computer programmer who received the world's first bitcoin mining reward. Like Exodus 1, the Finney also had an inbuilt hardware wallet that allowed users to store private keys in an ultra-secure manner.

The phone also had a built-in token conversion tool, allowing users to swap one kind of crypto for another easily.

The next noteworthy addition to the smartphone bandwagon was Samsung's KlaytnPhone. Launched in 2019, the phone was a unique handshake between Samsung and the Klaytn blockchain.

Therefore, when you purchase the phone, you also receive a free amount of Klay tokens. The phone, which was a blockchain version of the Galaxy Note 10, also had an inbuilt crypto wallet and embedded dApps.

The initial waves of blockchain phones set the tone for coming devices. Since then, plenty of crypto- and web3-focused smartphones have come and gone, each with its own unique capabilities.

The blockchain industry has also evolved rapidly in the last couple of years, and newer smartphones are expected to have even better features and specifications.

Here's a look at three highly anticipated upcoming blockchain-based smartphones.

On June 23, Solana announced the launch of its smartphone SAGA and became the first web3 company to enter the smartphone market. Priced at USD 1,000, SAGA has an Android OS and an in-built crypto wallet. It's equipped with 12 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage, and a 6.67" OLED screen.

Additionally, it sports Solana Mobile Stack, which allows developers to build mobile-first experiences for web3.

HTC took everyone by surprise by announcing its Web3 Smartphone soon after SAGA's launch. It has got a built-in web3 wallet and supports crypto and NFT transfers on Ethereum and Polygon blockchains.

Priced at USD 500, HTC Desire 22 is equipped with Android OS and Viverse, an HTC platform to access the metaverse. It has got 8 GB RAM, 128 GB Storage, and a 6.6' IPS LCD Screen.

Ethereum scaling solution and layer-2 blockchain, Polygon has partnered with the consumer tech company Nothing to introduce web3 capabilities in its upcoming smartphone, the Nothing Phone (1). The first product of this handshake was a collection of NFTs called Black Dot NFT.

Those who purchased these NFTs received several benefits, such as early access to new products. The Nothing Phone (1) will provide users access to Polygon-platform apps and games and a user identity solution called Polygon ID that utilizes zero-knowledge proofs.

While the popularity of these phones will depend on the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, it is easy to imagine a future where all smartphones are blockchain-based. However, when this future comes is uncertain.