Solana Seeker Crypto Smartphone Offers Advanced Web3 Functionality at $450, 140K Pre-Orders Placed to Date
- Solana plans toroll out its second smartphone, Seeker, by mid-2025.
- The new phone is available at $450, and over 140K crypto enthusiasts have already placed their orders.
- Seeker focuses on crypto-specific use cases like trading and running node software, catering to seasoned users.
As the tech crowd cheers (or berates) the new Apple iPhone, the crypto community welcomes Solana's second smartphone - Seeker.
The first Solana smartphone, Saga, launched in 2023 and integrated Web3 functionality into the familiar Android interfacefor $1K.
Saga's sales were initially weak even when the price dropped to $599 but surged 10x after Solana introduced a 30M $BONK airdrop, worth $865 at the time.
What new does Seeker bring to the table, and how will Solana incentivize its adoption? Let's explore.
Solana Seeker - Better Features at a Lower PriceSolana first hinted at Chapter 2 of its smartphone saga in January. Seeker is set to launch in 2025 and, unlike its predecessor, saw heightened demand with 140K pre-orders. That's a 7x jump from Saga's sales.Last week, Solana Mobile revealed Seeker's design at the Token 2049 conference in Singapore. The new phone is lighter and smaller than Saga, partly because Solana Mobile believes many users would use it as a secondary phone.
Available at just $450, half that of Saga's price, Solana Seeker doesn't compromise on looks or performance. Solana Mobile promises a brighter display, a longer-lasting battery, and better cameras.
Solana's custom custody solution Seed Vault drives crypto integration on the new smartphone. Additionally, Solana collaborated with Solflare to develop a user-friendly hot wallet.
Not Seeking Mass AdoptionSolana Seeker is a pivot from Saga in terms of both form and messaging. While Saga offered an alternative to the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, Seeker aims to complement existing offerings.
And Solana Mobile General Manager Emmett Hollyer doesn't expect Seeker to be a device they pitch to the masses.
The phone's name comes from the idea of a constant search for new opportunities, whether experiences, rewards, or connections.
Catering to seasoned crypto users, Seeker addresses use cases like running node software and mining tokens for decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs).
Solana's 30M $BONK airdrop gave a powerful boost to Saga sales. But since Seeker's pre-orders already surpassed Saga's, there's no need for extensive promotion or incentives.
Each Seeker owner will, however, receive a Genesis soulbound NFT - a unique token forever tied to a specific wallet address. Since soulbound tokens are non-tradeable, this is merely a thank you' gesture rather than a monetary reward.
Closing RemarksSolana Mobile's strategy has evolved from offering a direct competitor to mainstream smartphones to focusing on a niche market.
Seeker's advanced features like token mining for DePINs indicate that Solana caters to seasoned crypto usersrather than the general public. Will this bet pay off? We'll have to wait and see.
References- Seeker (Solana)
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