Computer manufacturing company HTC says it is on the verge of releasing its upcoming blockchain phone, Exodus, which was first announced in May of 2018.
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Chief crypto officer at HTC Phil Chen leads the company’s blockchain and cryptocurrency initiatives. Speaking with Bitcoin Magazine, he commented that the phone should be available to digital currency enthusiasts by the end of the year and that the primary focus amongst developers is building wallets into the phones.
“There are 30 million wallets out there,” he comments. ”We are also supporting non-fungible tokens (NTFs) which we think is an approachable DApp for the masses to be able to engage in collectibles, blockchain gaming and unique digital items. We believe in the potential of NTFs to unlock the power of digital creatives. It’s the first time where creatives are empowered to create unique digital items of value.”
Chen first approached HTC executives with the idea of a blockchain-based phone in 2015 after keeping a close eye on Ethereum’s progress. By the end of that year, bitcoin prices were also beginning to show signs of life, and the notion of a blockchain phone with built-in crypto wallet software became more attractive.
“I was previously a venture capitalist getting exposure to many crypto projects, so I seeded the idea to HTC,” he mentioned. A strategy for building the phone was produced in 2016 and construction began in early 2018.
We asked about the security and storage capabilities the wallet would likely hold, though Chen said he was unable to disclose further information on that at press time. He also estimates the product will cost around $1,000 — roughly the same price as Sirin Labs’ blockchain phone Finney, though he insinuated this will be the only similarity between both prototypes.
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