Solana Plans to Launch a New Smartphone: Cheaper than Saga with New Hardware... New Age of Crypto Hardware and Smartphones?
Solana Mobile is planning to launch a second smartphone, following the successful release of Saga, a phone that supports cryptocurrencies. According to a report by CoinDesk, published on Tuesday (16th), the initiative aims to capitalize on the success of its first smartphone.
Anonymous sources told the report that the next Solana phone will have basic features similar to its predecessor, Saga. That is, it will include a built-in cryptocurrency wallet, customized Android software, and a "dApp store" for cryptocurrency-related applications. However, the difference is that it will have a lower price and different hardware than Saga.
The Saga was priced at $1,000 when it was launched last year, but its prices were later reduced due to weak sales. However, the scenario is different in the secondary market. Currently, a factory-sealed Saga device is receiving bids of $3,200 on eBay, five times more than its price two months ago.
Interest in Solana's smartphone skyrocketed when cryptocurrency traders realized that the phone came with an allocation of BONK tokens, one of the most talked-about memecoins in recent weeks. The price of the tokens available on the smartphone virtually covered the cost of the device. Thus, less than a week after the appreciation of the BONK memecoin, the Saga sold out.
At the same time, the BONK token continued to appreciate. Although it has fallen since the beginning of this year, the Solana network's memecoin saw an almost 8,000% increase between December 1st and 15th, 2023.
Saga phones continued to yield dividends for their owners, with various projects distributing profitable tokens and NFTs to the 15,000 phones in circulation. These airdrops strengthened the community around Saga and encouraged more developers at Solana to explore mobile app creation.
Now, it seems, the Solana team will launch a new phone to capitalize on this still-existing interest.
