Solana’s Seeker Phone Fixes Saga’s Flaws With Usability Upgrade
The Solana Seeker telephone is just not your common smartphone, nor does it need to be. Constructing on the teachings of its predecessor, the Saga, Solana Cell’s latest system reimagines what a crypto-native telephone might be. Smaller, lighter and boasting a longer-lasting battery in comparison with its predecessor, the Seeker goals to enhance on the consumer expertise whereas doubling down on mobile-first crypto usability.
Out of the field, it’s clear who this system is for: energetic Solana customers who often transact on-chain, with the design specializing in the whole lot crypto-first. With 150,000 telephones pre-ordered from over 50 international locations, and at a worth level of $500, the Seeker desires to convey Solana ecosystem individuals the power to transact on the go in a matter of seconds.
For those who’re somebody who regularly makes use of Solana, the Seeker would possibly really feel prefer it was constructed particularly for you. Nevertheless, this telephone is just not supposed for the informal crypto consumer.
“For those who’re someone who transact at the least as soon as per week, frankly, you then won’t be a full on energy consumer, however you are at the least an everyday sufficient consumer that Seeker is sensible,” mentioned Emmett Hollyer, the overall supervisor at Solana Cell, to CoinDesk in an interview.
One of many largest criticisms of the Saga was that it went a bit too far in specializing in the safety side on the expense of ease-of-use. “We discovered we have been so centered on constructing a safe expertise the primary time round that we form of received out of our personal manner with usability,” mentioned Hollyer.
The safety remains to be there; each system acts like a pockets that’s at all times on-chain, however the strategy of signing transactions has been considerably streamlined. Now, with only a single click on and a fingerprint verification, a consumer can approve a transaction, marking a noticeable change from the a number of steps Saga required, which makes buying and selling on the go really feel rather more pure.
Specs
Based on a slide deck shared by Solana Cell, the Seeker telephone comes with 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB for storage, a 6.36 inch show and a 4500 mAh battery, which ought to be sufficient to place it someplace between an Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus on paper by way of dimension.
It makes use of an octa-core Mediatek Dimensity 7300 processor, which is considerably much less highly effective than a flagship telephone from Apple or Samsung however is essentially consistent with the Exynos 1580, the chip powering Samsung’s mid-range A56 smartphone. The telephone runs on Android 15.
A evaluate system didn’tinclude a headphone jack and an SD card slot for expandable storage.
The system additionally options 4 cameras; three on the again (108 megapixel primary digicam with optical picture stabilization, a 50 mp telephoto sensor and a 13 mp ultra-wide) and one on the entrance (32 mp).
- Full specs:
- Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 7300
- Reminiscence: 8GB RAM
- Storage: 128 GB
- Show: 6.36″ AMOLED; 2670×1200 px (460 PPI); 120 Hz dynamic refresh
- Battery: 4500 mAh
- Helps 1 nano sim card + 1 esim; has Bluetooth, WiFi and 5G wi-fi help
Seeker Check Telephone (Margaux Nijkerk/ CoinDesk)
Seed Vault Pockets, ID, Token
On the core of the Seeker is the Seed Vault, which protects your personal crypto keys with encryption and biometric entry. Constructing on prime of that’s Solana Cell’s Seed Vault Pockets, which is built-in with the Seed Vault and acts like Apple Pay, permitting customers to approve and confirm their transactions. And like Apple Pay, it has a tap-to-pay perform.
“It does the whole lot {that a} common crypto pockets does, together with it allows you to connect with [decentralized applications] dapps and entry your funds anyplace. It is simply constructed extra mobile-native, straight into the telephone and the dapps which are in our retailer,” Hollyer added.
The pockets helps all main Solana dapps, and comes with a restoration seed phrase, identical to different chilly wallets. This continuity with the crypto {hardware} expertise ensures that customers retain self-custody, even when they lose the system.
Verifying transactions (Margaux Nijkerk /CoinDesk)
Past {hardware}, the telephone layers on a brand new form of digital id. Upon setup, every consumer is issued a Genesis Token and a novel Seeker ID, completely tying the system to the consumer.
The telephone will even have a novel SKR token, a brand new token for the ecosystem that isn’t dwell but. Whereas the challenge’s builders haven’t shared many particulars but about how the token will perform, the staff wrote that it’s going to “energy the financial system, incentives and possession of the ecosystem.”
Person expertise
Though I’m loyal to my iPhone, the Seeker felt simple sufficient to navigate for these not used to an Android system. Leaping round from apps was seamless with out a clunky expertise. The telephone has capabilities to obtain mainstream apps from the Google app retailer, and supposedly can enable for cell connection (this telephone didn’t include a SIM).
Whereas I couldn’t totally check cellular connectivity, the interface was surprisingly easy and responsive, with no noticeable lag or awkward UI hiccups. For anybody hesitant about switching ecosystems, the Seeker provides a well-recognized sufficient expertise that received’t go away you feeling misplaced.
Minting an NFT (Margaux Nijkerk/ CoinDesk)
Seeker Season Coming This September
To get individuals to actively use the system, the Solana Cell is constructing momentum by means of its Seeker Season, launching this September, which the builders declare will convey unique options, early entry and advantages from dapps taking part within the Solana dapp retailer ecosystem.
“Every week, new dapps will introduce particular experiences, early entry, and advantages you’ll solely discover on the Solana dApp retailer,” in accordance with a slide deck shared by the staff. These exclusives present incentives for early adoption of the telephone.
Gross sales of the unique Saga telephone have been sluggish at first, till crypto merchants found that every system got here with a hefty airdrop of BONK tokens, sparking a rush to purchase up remaining models and turning the telephone into a quick arbitrage alternative.
The Solana Seeker is an bold and considerate reimagining of what a cellular crypto expertise ought to be. It’s not simply extra compact and user-friendly, it’s designed to convey self-custody into on a regular basis life with minimal friction. The place Saga tried to show some extent, Seeker invitations customers to take part.
Learn extra: Solana’s Seeker Telephone Coming in Early August Alongside With SKR Token
