HTC Launches a New Entry-Level Blockchain Smartphone

High Tech Computer (HTC) Corporation, a Taiwanese consumer electronics firm based in the New Taipei City, recently unveiled a new entry-level blockchain-based smartphone dubbed the HTC Exodus 1S that is basically targeting digital currency users and investors.

The firm has been for long considering to come up with such a feature, especially after the official release of Exodus 1. The handset is a follow-up to the $698 Exodus 1 which was initially unveiled in 2018. The Exodus 1S phone is somehow cheap in comparison to the latter and is currently sold at about $245, and provides less strong hardware assembled nearby a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor.

Of course, HTC is trying to compete with other technology giants like Samsung, LG, Wings WX, M1, Huawei, and others, in the field of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin Transactions Made Easier

The latest major digital currency feature the Exodus 1S phone has, is that the capacity to run a full Bitcoin (BTC) node and this is a first for a mobile electronic gadget, according to the manufacturer of the device.

According to the  report by Forbes, head of HTC Corporation’s business and corporate development Phil Chen, revealed that since their new product has the potential to run a full BTC node, it is a clear confirmation that the handset can effectively transmit, approve and authenticate Bitcoin and cryptocurrency transactions, a thing that gives a lot of privacy to users and further enables users to participate in making the security of the system better.

Since the technology is still embryonic, running a full BTC node on this new smartphone still has some limitations. For instance, to run a full node, a user needs to connect the handset to a strong WiFi while the phone is charging.

The user further needs to purchase an SD card that has a minimum storage size of 400GB so that a device can accommodate a complete copy of the Bitcoin ledger. In addition, the new device won’t this time function as a mining node.

Some Major Specifications of the Phone

Besides its blockchain specs, the Exodus 1S has also got a 5.7” HD display, 64GB of ROM, a 13-mp rear camera and 4GB of RAM.

It seems that Exodus smartphones are a thriving endeavor by HTC Corporation to plea to cryptocurrency users as its phone trades have significantly plunged in the past few years. That is one of the reasons why they have decided to set the initial price of Exodus 1S lesser than the initial price of Exodus 1 – they want to increase their sales.

Currently, the handset is not sold in the United States. It is only offered in the UAE, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia. Besides fiat currency, the company will also allow cryptocurrency payments including BTC, Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ether (ETH), LTC and Binance Coin (BNB).