Solana Mobile is gearing up to release its second cryptocurrency smartphone, with notable upgrades and a more budget-friendly pricing strategy, according to an insider familiar with the company’s plans.
The forthcoming device will retain the fundamental features of its predecessor, named Saga, which include an integrated crypto wallet, specialized Android software, and a dedicated “dApp store” for crypto applications. However, the new smartphone will be offered at a reduced price point and will feature different hardware specifications, as outlined by the same source. The initial Saga smartphone, priced at $1000 upon its launch last year, underwent price reductions due to sluggish sales.
The introduction of the new Solana Mobile phone aims to address the surging demand in the secondary market for the scarce supply of existing Saga smartphones. Notably, factory-sealed Saga devices are currently attracting bids of up to $3,200 on platforms like eBay, representing a fivefold increase from their value just five weeks ago.
The original Saga phone faced challenges in finding a substantial market, with its creators initially considering moving on from the experimental venture. However, the situation shifted dramatically when crypto enthusiasts discovered that the phone came with an allocation of BONK tokens, surpassing the device’s purchase price. Within a week, all available Saga phones were sold out.
In the subsequent month, Saga phone owners continued to benefit from various projects airdropping valuable tokens and NFTs exclusively to the 15,000 phones in circulation. These airdrops not only strengthened the Saga community but also encouraged more Solana developers to explore the development of mobile applications.
As of now, there has been no response from Solana Mobile regarding inquiries about these developments.
