Don’t name it a comeback: Tech corporations’ so-called blockchain telephones by no means appeared to click on with shoppers, regardless of a number of makes an attempt, however now crypto networks themselves are making contemporary strikes to try to convey Web3 to a probably huge cell viewers.
Solana not too long ago introduced its Solana Cellular Stack (SMS) software program initiative and Saga telephone, and Polygon at the moment revealed its personal cell play. Polygon, an Ethereum scaling platform, introduced a collaboration with tech startup Nothing that can see Polygon’s tech built-in into the corporate’s first smartphone, the Nothing Cellphone (1).
Initially, the partnership will probably be an NFT membership membership, with Polygon NFTs offered to individuals who helped crowdfund Nothing’s launch, in addition to those that pre-ordered the Nothing Cellphone (1). Nothing’s Black Dot NFTs, as they’re referred to as, present potential advantages to holders, comparable to early entry to merchandise or entries to occasions.
That is Nothing Neighborhood Dots.
We’re all Nothing. Dots within the big unbelievable scheme of the whole lot. However let these seemingly small, insignificant dots join. Then one thing begins.
See thread beneath. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VKIDuEKSoM
— Nothing (@nothing) July 5, 2022
However that’s simply step one, Polygon Vice President of Development Arjun Kalsy advised Decrypt.
Finally, the plan is to infuse the Android-based Nothing Cellphone (1) with easy accessibility to apps and video games on Polygon’s platform, in addition to funds and future options like Polygon ID, the corporate’s zero-knowledge, proof-based identification answer.
“How will we get even nearer to the person? The biggest distribution platform on the planet is the cell phone,” mentioned Kalsy. “Principally, the timing was proper that now we are able to take this expertise to the plenty.”
A teaser picture for the Nothing Cellphone (1). Picture: Nothing
Nothing was based by Carl Pei, who co-founded the smartphone and tech model OnePlus. The agency has attracted veteran tech creators like iPod co-creator Tony Fadell, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman, and can maintain a launch occasion for the Nothing Cellphone (1) on July 12.
Kalsy mentioned Polygon was launched to Nothing by one in all its VC backers after its $450 million fund elevate introduced final February. He shared that the Nothing crew stunned him with its depth of information about Web3 and strong plans for the house.
“Proper from the primary dialog, I used to be like: ‘Effectively, these guys get it,’” he mentioned. “They perceive how Web3 works, and that for me was a magic second. Like, I need to work with these guys.”
In keeping with Kalsy, Polygon and Nothing have spent the final 4 to 5 months creating the collaboration, crystalizing ideas like how they need customers to have the ability to faucet into Polygon decentralized apps (dapps) and video games on cell, and the way the venture may evolve over time.
“If you happen to have a look at any Android or Apple telephone, you log in with both a Google ID or an Apple ID, and to an extent, Apple or Google owns the client, proper? That’s the place the worth comes from,” mentioned Kalsy. “In a decentralized world, we have to assist the person take again management.”
Why Solana Is Going Huge on Cellular—And Making a Smartphone
Kalsy didn’t share many finer particulars of how Polygon’s Web3 integration will work on the Nothing Cellphone (1) forward of the gadget’s launch occasion. Nevertheless, the agency seems to have comparable goals as Solana’s SMS initiative—to make Web3 entry less complicated and simpler on smartphones, and thus assist convey crypto and NFTs to a a lot bigger viewers.
There’s a key distinction, nonetheless: Solana is making its personal smartphone in partnership with OSOM Merchandise, a startup from former Important Cellphone R&D head, Jason Keats. Nothing’s telephone will function Polygon expertise, however it’s not a “Polygon Cellphone” in the best way that the Solana Saga is a Solana-branded gadget.
In keeping with Kalsy, Polygon most popular to associate with a agency that focuses on constructing telephones, and let every agency within the alliance focus by itself specialty. He mentioned it was additionally a matter of not “making an attempt to boil the ocean”—in different phrases, to keep away from letting the scope of the venture develop uncontrolled and maybe past their very own sources to execute.
“Can we construct a cell phone? I’m positive we are able to,” he defined. “However would we construct the world’s finest cell phone? No. That’s one thing which Carl [Pei] and HTC, and the Samsungs, LGs, or Apples of the world are the very best at.”
As a result of Polygon is a decentralized blockchain platform, this isn’t an unique alliance. Different corporations can combine Polygon assist into their units, as HTC will with its not too long ago introduced Need 22 Professional “metaverse telephone,” which additionally helps Ethereum. Kalsy mentioned that the Nothing partnership advantages from the Polygon crew’s information and expertise, nonetheless.
As with Solana and its personal cell push, Polygon sees the cell market as key to onboarding probably huge numbers of future customers into the crypto world. Polygon’s expertise permits quicker and cheaper transactions than on Ethereum’s mainnet, plus the community not too long ago attained carbon neutrality by buying offsets. Now the main focus is on mass adoption.
“I imagine it’s one of many single most essential issues which networks can do,” mentioned Kalsy. “You’ve solved for scalability and such, and now you possibly can take this expertise to the cell phone and begin onboarding the following lots of of tens of millions of customers into Web3.”
