Samsung takes the lead in the new blockchain smartphone market (bravenewcoin.com)
Samsung's crypto-friendly version of its flagship Galaxy Note 10 is the first of a new wave of blockchain handsets to hit the market.

The “KlaytnPhone" — named after the blockchain developed by South Korean messaging app KakaoTalk — was launched in South Korea last week. It features the same hardware as other Galaxy Note 10 devices, but with the additional software including blockchain apps and a cryptocurrency wallet.

Since testing the waters with the Galaxy S10 launched earlier this year, Samsung has ventured further into the blockchain world — making over a dozen Dapps available on its KeyStore, and now cementing its commitment to crypto assets by releasing a second blockchain handset.

Big tech takes the smartphone to the blockchain
Taking the lead from Samsung, other tech giants are also ensuring that users can access blockchain related services.

Arch-rival LG is reported to have completed market research on Dapp and blockchain providers, and has trademarked the “ThinQ Wallet” in the United States — a transaction and settlement product that could be the foundation for an upcoming crypto ecosystem.

South Korean media outlet Chosun claims that LG is close to releasing a crypto-friendly handset to rival offerings from Samsung. Meanwhile, HTC is set to release the second version of its Exodus handset before the end of the third quarter.
Even the notoriously tight-lipped Apple is looking at the space.

“We’re watching cryptocurrency. We think it is interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential” said Vice president of Apple Pay, Jennifer Bailey, in conversation with CNN Business in September.

Apple has been building the protocols that could form the foundation of a smartphone crypto ecosystem.

The iPhone CryptoKit, which was quietly unveiled at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in June, is described as a framework to "perform cryptographic operations securely and efficiently", and could allow developers to embed cryptographic operations into their apps.

China is working on similar innovations. According to local financial media, Sina has developed a "SIM card-based blockchain digital asset management system.

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State-owned China Telecom is developing the product and debuted it to the world at an industry expo in August. Somewhat ironically, the Chinese company appears to be positioning blockchain phones as essential to privacy in an era of cloud computing, mobile payments, artificial intelligence, big data, and 5G.

"Security, high-speed, multi-application and low-cost 5G blockchain mobile phones will create huge economic opportunities and business values. In the 5G era, people will increasingly trust the 5G blockchain smart phone," states the whitepaper.

The world's first true blockchain phone
Competing with the tech giants are small manufacturers of blockchain-powered devices.At a trade show in Berlin on September 10, Pundi X — a Singaporean company that calls itself the "Walmart and 7-Eleven of cryptocurrency" — unveiled the Blok on Blok, which it claims is the "world's first true blockchain phone.

”Unlike some crypto-friendly phones that differentiate themselves with wallet software and access to a secure enclave for the storage of private keys, Blok on Blok migrates the core phone functions to the blockchain.

Users can toggle between the traditional method of making calls through a mobile network or the secure method of making calls on-chain that prevents any third party from accessing user data.

At a cost of $599, the Blok on Blok is in the same price range as a new handset from Huobi that launches in South East Asia this week.

The Android-based Acute Angle retails for $515 and offers built-in cryptocurrency features including a Dapp wallet, optional cold-wallet plugin, and integration with a native NODE token that allows users to earn rewards for performing certain actions.

This is said to be the first of a future lineup of blockchain-based phones from Whole Network — a blockchain project funded by Huobi's venture capital arm.

Though blockchain phones remain niche products that appeal to existing cryptocurrency users, competition will force big players such as Apple and Samsung to offer blockchain services to their users or risk being left behind.

As we move into the 5G era, data security is expected to become increasingly important. Thus, giving users greater control over their own data could prove to be a good way for big tech companies to differentiate themselves.The blockchain phone era has just begun.
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    Francisco Gimeno - BC Analyst Smart devices will bring Dapps and crypto wallets and other blockchain/crypto features, some of them we can't even imagine now. With 5G operational the growth will be exponential. This will be the new normal, helping the global masses to better understand, access and use crypto.