Original | Odaily Planet Daily (@OdailyChina)
Author | CryptoLeo (@LeoAndCrypto)
The highly anticipated second phone from Solana Mobile, Seeker, was shipped on August 4, with the first global batch of 150,000 units. Many people (but not me) have recently received their Seeker. The wealth effect created by Solana's first phone, Saga, was quite impressive. Therefore, Odaily Planet Daily has combined its official information and the first batch of user "unboxing" experiences on X to introduce the Seeker phone, including its appearance, user experience, improvements over Saga, and future vision.
Seeker Basic Data
According to its official data:
- The Seeker phone measures 15.48 cm in length, 7.35 cm in width, and 0.93 cm in thickness;
- It has a battery capacity of 4500 mAh and is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor;
- Storage is relatively small, at 8+128 GB;
- The screen is a 6.36-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2670 x 1200 px, a pixel density of 460 ppi, and supports a 120 Hz refresh rate (the same as the Xiaomi 14);
- It supports dual SIM cards, one Nano SIM and one regular SIM.
Unboxing: User Experience with Seeker Phone
Recently, many users have shared videos and pictures of their unboxing experiences on X. This article selects 3-4 user "unboxings" to summarize the evaluations of the physical phone:
The black packaging of the Seeker phone is similar to that of the Saga, and inside the phone box, there is a USB-C charging cable.
First Steps:
The phone comes with a mnemonic card, and users need to save their wallet mnemonic to obtain a Seeker ID. Users can receive a free optional ".skr" domain name, similar to ENS, and the ID is unique and follows a first-come, first-served principle;
Minting Genesis NFT: Similar to Saga, the "Seeker Genesis Token" NFT will be granted to user addresses without requiring gas fees. Airdrops for Solana Mobile holders have been sent to user addresses, but additional airdrops may be sent to Genesis NFT holders in the future, making it worth a try.
On Transactions:
Every transaction on the phone will be automatically processed through the Seed Vault wallet application and can be approved using the fingerprint sensor. The Seeker phone does not come pre-installed with SOL (Saga came with 0.1 SOL), but the Seed Vault wallet application charges a 0.8% fee for swap transactions;
The Solana Mobile dApp Store has over 100 dApps, more than Saga's App Store, but many of them are PWA shortcuts. Solana Mobile states that September is an important month for the Solana Mobile dApp ecosystem, so we might expect a large-scale airdrop from the built-in applications of Seeker in September.
Hardware Aspects:
The Seeker feels good in hand, is sturdy and durable, with a simple overall design. It weighs only 192 grams, which is over 20% lighter than the previous generation Saga phone (247 grams), but the phone is overall thicker, similar to the thickness of the iPhone 8/9. Additionally, while the Seeker's camera may not compare to the iPhone, most users are not purchasing the Seeker for photography. Some users have noted that the device can get slightly warm after prolonged use (a common issue with most phones, which can be overlooked). Overall, the battery life and display have seen significant upgrades compared to Saga.
For more differences from Saga, refer to: "Solana's New Phone Seeker Unveiled, Can It Recoup Costs Through Airdrops?"
What Has Solana Mobile Done from Saga to Seeker?
When it comes to crypto phones, you may have also encountered phones launched by Aptos or other projects, which have generally received poor reviews. The previous generation Saga phone was officially released in 2023 at a price of $1000, initially receiving poor reviews, and later dropped to $599. The real turning point in reviews came when the project announced it would airdrop to Saga phone users, with the airdrop value potentially covering the cost (even the early $1000 purchase price). Therefore, when Seeker was launched, more people purchased the Seeker phone through pre-sales and public sales, which also led to many people not successfully buying the Seeker.
From Saga to Seeker, the Solana Mobile team has made significant optimizations based on feedback from Saga users:
Improvements in Usability and Security
Phone Appearance: Many users still prefer their iPhones, using Saga or Seeker as auxiliary crypto devices, so Saga was designed to be smaller, lighter, and brighter for easier transactions;
Enhanced Security: The Seed Vault of Seeker (which stores and locks users' private keys, preventing applications and the operating system from accessing them, providing the desired hardware wallet-like security) is equally secure and easier to use compared to Saga;
Phone Applications and Transactions
More Crypto-Native: Seeker simplifies the transaction signing and connection processes, making the phone more crypto-native;
Seeker Phone Applications: Supports all teams dedicated to new products and features, including integrating approved applications into the Seeker app store and incentivizing their teams.
Expanded Reach: The shipping range covers more countries compared to Saga;
Better Incentive Mechanism with Native Token SKR
Seeker will also launch its native token SKR, the second official token following the launch of SOL by Solana Labs. Most users have already received their Seeker, and the TGE for the SKR token is expected to start soon. SKR aims to promote the Solana ecosystem's economy, incentives, and ownership development. The SKR token will be directly distributed to builders and users. Emmett from the Solana Mobile team stated in an interview that the idea of launching SKR is based on "the need for a native token to achieve better incentive mechanisms and long-term growth for the Solana Mobile ecosystem," but currently, SKR is only confirmed to be launched, depending on Seeker having a sufficient number of users and developers.
Currently, there is no release date for SKR, nor information on total token supply and economic models. Emmett expressed great confidence in SKR: What can be revealed is that the team will focus heavily on staking in the token economic model design to ensure network security, and a white paper on SKR will be released soon. The SKR token will not compete with SOL, as it does not need to vie for necessary capital but aims to continue building the physical Solana Mobile. The previously mentioned Genesis NFT may also receive SKR shares in the future, making it essential to mint that NFT.
Future Opportunities for Solana Mobile
Regarding the wealth effect of Seeker, people should pay more attention to the project airdrop values and shares, including projects like Phantom and Jupiter that will airdrop to Seeker users. For details, refer to: "8 Projects Confirm Airdrops, Overview of Solana Saga Second Generation Phone Performance and Purchase Guide"
Solana has a background of enthusiasm for new technologies and innovations, so for the Solana phone, I am more focused on the new apps that may appear on the phone, which could also bring good wealth effects. The official team has consistently emphasized that September's major Solana event is Seeker Season, incorporating more innovative applications into the Seeker App Store. Many development teams have already applied to join, and Seeker Season will select one project each week to enter the Solana Mobile App Store, with this project being exclusive to Solana Mobile in its early stages. (There are also plans to collaborate with other phone manufacturers to provide distribution channels for their devices).
In terms of fees, Solana phones are also quite friendly, as good crypto projects can be included in the App Store completely free of charge (in contrast, apps entering the Apple Store require a certain fee, such as $99/year).
In the future, Emmett mentioned: "In the next two years, we need at least one phone that we do not manufacture to support this platform. It could be a brand of phone you already own, allowing you to access all the high-quality applications developed on this platform and conduct transactions very easily and securely. Currently, Seeker still has a long way to go. Moreover, I spend much more time with other hardware partners than I do discussing our next phone."
As mentioned earlier, Solana Mobile phones aim for seamless transactions. With a relaxed regulatory environment, the future of Solana Mobile may serve as a great medium for crypto adoption, just like shopping online on Amazon, where holding a mobile device with better transaction advantages has greater potential than sitting at a computer desk.
In the next decade, the vision of the Solana Mobile team is to bring the Solana mobile phone version to any smart device (perhaps not necessarily a phone?).
Currently, the vision of Solana Mobile is quite grand and requires time to mature. The focus should still be on the projects emerging from the Solana Mobile Hackathon, and Odaily will provide project introductions as soon as they are announced.
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