Solana Saga, the revolutionary Web3 mobile phone, was launched in April 2023, marking a significant milestone in the world of smartphones. This innovative device combines all the standard features of a smartphone with an immersive Web3 experience. It boasts a decentralized application (DApp) store and seamless integration with crypto wallets and DApps, making it a truly unique offering in the market. The Solana Saga has been aptly dubbed “the phone that keeps on giving.”
The phone garnered a lot of attention during its pre-order phase, with early adopters enjoying exclusive benefits such as the “Saga Pass.” Holders of the Saga Pass were also treated to a series of art airdrops in the form of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) leading up to the official launch in April. On April 13, 2023, Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana, took to the stage to announce the phone’s launch and showcase its impressive features.
Initial reactions to the Solana Saga were mostly positive, although European users experienced some delays due to supply chain challenges. While American users started receiving their phones in April, it took until May for those across the Atlantic to get their hands on the device.
In terms of design, the Solana Saga bears some resemblance to an iPhone, with its sleek form factor, green buttons, ceramic backing, and stainless steel frame giving it a mainstream appeal. Running on the Android OS, the phone is manufactured by OSOM and was presented alongside the Solana co-founder at the launch event.
The Solana Saga boasts impressive hardware elements, including a 6.67-inch, 1080p resolution AMOLED screen with a 120Hz display. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 processor and equipped with 12 gigabytes of RAM, the phone also offers a generous 512GB of storage, a feature not commonly found in most smartphones. Additionally, the phone’s 4,110-mAh battery outperforms that of the typical iPhone 14 Pro, ensuring longer usage time.
Convenience and security are also prioritized in the Solana Saga, evident in the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone. This ergonomic design feature allows for intuitive unlocking of wallets and seamless transaction signing. The phone’s camera takes high-quality pictures, although a direct comparison with iPhone or Samsung cameras is beyond the scope of this article. The built-in speakers, however, could have better sound quality.
Setting up the Solana Saga is a quick and straightforward process. Users are guided through the creation of a Solana wallet and a seed vault, which securely stores the seed phrase. Biometrics, such as fingerprints, can then be used to unlock wallets and sign transactions, enhancing the overall Web3 experience. The phone’s basic setup is similar to that of any other Android device.
In addition to the standard Android features, the Solana Saga comes with its own Solana-powered DApp store. This app store provides access to various DApps on the Solana network, spanning gaming, NFTs, decentralized finance (DeFi), and social categories. Initially, the app store had only a handful of apps at launch, but it has steadily grown to over 25 apps as of April and May 2023.
The setup of the Phantom wallet, commonly used on the Solana network, is seamless and straightforward. However, some users encountered difficulties when attempting to download other applications onto the phone. Fortunately, updates to the DApp store in April and May 2023 have resolved these issues.
The Solana Saga offers exclusive experiences to its users, showcasing the full potential of the Solana ecosystem. Users receive a genesis token, which grants them access to several DApps and allows the Solana DApps ecosystem to identify and reward loyal users over time.
Practical transactions, such as swapping USD Coin (USDC) for Solana (SOL) using the Phantom wallet, are effortless and secure, thanks to the fingerprint sensor. This experience brings the convenience of fintech contactless payments to the world of crypto.
Notable applications available on the Solana Saga include Dialect, a Web3 messaging app featuring NFT stickers. Solana’s efficient NFT technology makes minting NFTs cost-effective, and the Dialect app gamifies NFT sticker collections that can be used in messages. The Mintify app allows users to easily mint their photos, connecting with the Phantom wallet to charge a fee in SOL. Once the user approves the mint, the process is instant, with the pictures uploaded on-chain and an address provided immediately.
Additionally, previously web-based DApps like Squads, a multisig wallet on Solana, are now accessible through the Saga app store. This trend highlights the growing allegiance of Web3 apps to their parent chain’s ecosystem infrastructure. However, this approach may limit their distribution capabilities and restrict them to a limited user base.
In addition to these integrated and exclusive user experiences, the Solana Mobile team has announced meaningful airdrops. For instance, Claynosaurz, one of the top NFT communities on Solana, is conducting an airdrop for users who pre-ordered the phone.
Other Web3 apps also work seamlessly on the Solana Saga, leveraging the Android ecosystem. However, they may not offer the same level of integration as Saga DApps.
While the Solana Saga marks a significant step forward in the Web3 space, it may not surpass the dominance of iPhones or Android devices anytime soon. Instead, it represents an experiment aimed at providing a specific user experience and its associated benefits to native Web3/Solana users. For others, it offers a glimpse into the future of smartphones.
Interestingly, Apple’s recent approval of Uniswap, Axie Infinity, and in-app sales on StepN may be influenced by the Saga’s impact on industry trends. The 30% “Apple tax” remains a burden on creators’ revenue, but it is possible that future tweaks will be made when Apple’s hand is forced. In the meantime, Saga users can serve as guinea pigs for this underrated Web3 experiment.
It is important to note that this article does not provide investment advice or recommendations. Readers should conduct their own research and exercise caution when making investment or trading decisions.