Solana Cell is planning to launch a follow-up to its Saga smartphone, with a less expensive worth level.
In line with an individual aware of the matter, CoinDesk reported, the brand new smartphone will characteristic totally different {hardware}, whereas incorporating the identical crypto-friendly options as the unique Saga smartphone. These embrace a built-in crypto pockets, decentralized utility (dapp) retailer and customized Android software program.
Developed by Solana Cell and Android improvement agency OSOM as a “moonshot,” the unique Solana Saga was priced at $1,000 on its launch in Could 2023. Though Decrypt’s assessment referred to as it a “premium Android flagship,” gross sales of the gadget have been initially underwhelming, with the agency slashing the worth of the Saga by $400 after 4 months on sale.
On the time, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko mentioned that, “We actually want it to hit 25,000 to 50,000 items to really feel like there’s a hardcore person base for builders to be compelled to ship functions.”
Nonetheless, curiosity within the gadget picked up within the latter a part of 2023, due to a surge in recognition of Solana-based meme cash equivalent to BONK that have been bundled with the Saga gadget. By December, the Saga had bought out as crypto merchants realized that the bundled BONK tokens have been value greater than the gadget itself.
“Our precedence is to proceed listening to our group in order that we will perceive what this demand appears to be like like, each now and sooner or later, and assess what comes subsequent,” a Solana Labs consultant advised Decrypt on the time.
What got here subsequent was a collection of airdrops to Saga house owners, who acquired tokens and NFTs together with Saga Monkes, which at the moment have a flooring worth of over $1,000 on secondary marketplaces. Though the worth of BONK has plunged to the purpose the place the 30 million tokens bundled with Saga units are actually value just below $420, unopened Saga telephones proceed to command excessive costs on marketplaces equivalent to eBay.
Decrypt has reached out to Solana for remark and can replace this text ought to we obtain a response.
