Pre-Installed dApps Among HTC’s Crypto-Exclusive Phone’s Signature Features
Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC dives into the cryptocurrency industry by launching the world’s first blockchain-powered phone, Exodus 1, last October 22. What makes Exodus 1 a blockchain-focused phone is it has pre-installed decentralized apps that will operate on the blockchain.
Among the signature features of Exodus 1 is the Secure Enclave that functions as a hardware crypto wallet. The wallet, called Zion, is Exodus 1-exclusive made with technology from SoftBank’s Arm Holdings to securely store private keys.
With the use of Zion, HTC lets its users to “own their own keys” for a higher level of security.
Phil Chen, HTC’s Decentralized Chief Officer, said:
“The problem we’re [HTC] solving is obviously very complicated and there’s a reason no one has managed to do it yet. Namely, giving tools to the people to own their own keys and also when they lose their phone, the ability to recover it. We need the help of the community to harden our wallet and make it more secure. The crypto internet is still in its infant stages, the Exodus is the first attempt to lay the foundation for that internet. And the first step is to empower and educate the consumer to own their own keys.”
Private keys are specific codes for users to access their cryptocurrency much like a PIN number for a bank account. In the occasion that the Exodus 1 gets stolen, lost, or damaged, there is still a chance for the user to retrieve their private key information through the “Social Key Recovery” feature. With this process, the user will have to contact three to five designated friends who will each have parts of the recovery key.
According to Chen, Google’s OS is “fundamentally insecure with a centralized system” which would make the wallet vulnerable to unauthorized access if integrated with Android. This is why Zion is placed separately from the Android OS, thereby avoiding the possibility of hacking.
HTC’s focus is to protect users’ identity and data with the use of blockchain technology which is why it came up with the Exodus 1. The use of blockchain heightens the consumer’s privacy and security with the technology’s tamper-proof digital ledger.
Before HTC Exodus 1 was launched, it already claimed that crypto phones will spark a change in the market. @htcexodus tweeted on September 20, 2018:
“Crypto phones could change the internet. @htcexodus is the potential catalyst to ensuring consumer maintain their online privacy – and maybe even cause a revolution in the internet as we know it.”
Crypto phones could change the internet@htcexodus is the potential catalyst to ensuring consumer maintain their online privacy – and maybe even cause a revolution in the internet as we know it.
(via @philchen913 @techradar) pic.twitter.com/9LZVlhKnpW
— HTC EXODUS (@htcexodus) September 20, 2018
Together with its blockchain features, Exodus 1 has:
- 6-inch Quad HD+ display
- 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- 16MP dual back camera and 8MP dual selfie camera
- 845 Snapdragon processor
- Android Oreo OS
- 3,500mAh battery
- IP68 dust/waterproof rating
- “No audio jack” feature
The phone is now available for pre-order in 34 countries, including the US, the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Austria, due for shipment by December 2018. But it can be purchased with only Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Currently, its price is 0.15 BTC or 4.78 ETH, which is within the same price range as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 and Apple’s iPhone XS. But the HTC phone’s pricing may change anytime given crypto’s volatility.
