World’s first ‘Blockchain smartphone’ announced

Israel’s Sirin Labs has just announced what it claims is the world’s first smartphone to employ Blockchain – the ‘Finney‘, a tip of the hat to cryptocurrency pioneer Hal Finney.

The Blockchain aspect seems to centre on the phone’s security, with it supposedly being “Blockchain based” and with “full tampering proof”, as well as not just two but three-factor authentication – Biometric, Lock Pattern, Behavioural.

There also seems to be secure on-boarded support for digital payments, with a behavioural-based intrusion Prevention System, a physical security switch (for wallet protection) and secure comms promised over VoIP, text and email. (The digital wallet slides out from the device on a hidden screen, according to The Independent.)

With a 12 megapixel main camera and available for pre-order at a stated retail price of $999, so at a market-comparable price for high-end smartphones from the Apples and Samsungs of the world, the device is also claimed to offer a built-in cold storage wallet, a decentralized application center (dCENTER), something called ‘Learn & Earn Incentivized Education’ and a token conversion service.

Sirin has signed up FC Barcelona forward and widely recognised greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, as its ‘brand ambassador’, so he is likely to feature highly in the advertising campaign leading to the phone’s debut next month.

Indeed, the Finney is set for official launch on Thursday, 29th November, in Barcelona – but we can’t be there as that is also the day our upcoming Think Digital Identity for Government 2018 event will be opening its doors… so you can’t either! 🙂

Sirin believes its mission is to vision is to bridge the gap between the blockchain economy and the mass market through multi-layered cybersecurity and a much-improved user experience.