As if your phone wasn’t already enough of a target for thieves, now HTC wants you to store large amounts of cryptocurrency on it.
Today they revealed the first “blockchain phone” called the HTC Exodus 1[1]. Essentially, it is a phone with current flagship specs and walled off, hardware cryptocurrency wallet built in.
Similar in some ways to Samsung’s Knox[2], which allows users to store sensitive work data in a secure encrypted location on their phone, the Exodus has something called the TrustZone. It is a part of the phone separated from the rest of Android and, in theory at least, safe from malware and malicious apps. To further that, they also have a special UI that will prevent screen captures and keylogging of crypto-sensitive information.
It is unclear which ERC tokens and currencies the phone will support overall, but Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the ERC721 Cryptokitties collectable tokens have been announced.
You’ll also have to shell out a bit of cryptocurrency to buy the phone. HTC is only accepting payments in Ethereum and Bitcoin for the Exodus at this time. It costs 0.15 BTC or 4.78 ETH.
If you lose your phone, Exodus has a special way of recovering your keys. Three people you trust will be given part of the key through a special HTC developed app. When your phone is lost you’ll be able to recover your wallet by piecing together the key through them. HTC didn’t mention any other recovery options so it is unclear what someone who doesn’t want to trust three people will be able to do.
Previously touted options, like acting as a full-node, seem to have been canceled.
As for normal, phone-type specs, the Exodus is packing a punch. It sports a Snapdragon 845 SoC. That means
