Artificial intelligence (AI) might be the current “in” thing in smartphones today, but a number of manufacturers are already hedging up for the next big thing, which is what they hope blockchain would be for phones. Sirin already jumped into the pool with their $1,000 blockchain-powered Finney smartphone. But HTC is the first manufacturer of note to consider the technology, and is promptly building the HTC Exodus phone to be their first foray into crypto-enabled phones.
There is no standard definition yet for what a “blockchain-powered” phone should be. For now, let us all agree that it means a phone with the capability to have a secure digital wallet for cryptocurrency, and the phone to be part of a secure blockchain network that might facilitate trading and mining cryptocurrencies. That’s what HTC plans for the Exodus smartphone.
“Through Exodus, we are excited to be supporting underlying protocols such as Bitcoin, Lightning Networks, Ethereum, Dfinity, and more,” said Phil Chen, formerly the creator of the HTC Vive VR headset and now responsible for all blockchain and cryptocurrency related initiatives of HTC including Exodus. “We would like to support the entire blockchain ecosystem, and in the next few months we’ll be announcing many more exciting partnerships together.”
HTC is considering accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment for the phone, although its price is yet to be decided. We will have to wait and see if smartphone platforms like the HTC Exodus can improve the experience of cryptocurrency and de-centralized app users.
SOURCE: HTC
