The HTC Exodus 1 is one of the more curious devices to come from HTC over the years. This blockchain-enabled smartphone has been designed with the crypto-conscious in mind as it utilises a secure storage layer to keep cryptocurrencies safely tucked away from harm and Google’s Android operating system.
The device, which releases on 1 December, is available now for preorder but only if you can pay in a cryptocurrency. For just 0.15 BTC or 4.78 ETH (which equates to roughly £735 in non-digital money), you can be part of HTC’s early access programme and help shape how HTC makes the Exodus 1 useful and to improve the device’s security.
What makes the HTC Exodus 1 so special is its “secure enclave”. This part of the device is able to securely hold the keys to your cryptocurrency wallets, without the worry your phone is going to be hacked. It also features a “social key” recovery tool if your phone is stolen or lost, allowing you to nominate three to five contacts to hold a part of your recovery key so you can call upon them in the result of loss or theft.
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At the heart of the Exodus 1 is HTC’s own cryptocurrency wallet, Zion. The Taiwanese manufacturer is also planning to release Zion’s key management API and wallet SDK to other cryptographers, allowing third-party developers to use the phone’s hardware to protect other crypto wallets and sign transactions.
Aside from the Exodus 1’s crypto credentials, HTC has also made it into a reasonably powerful phone in its own right.
Users will get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There’s also a 3,500mAh battery to keep things ticking along and all the connectivity measures you’d expect of a £700 smartphone.
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HTC has given the Exodus 1 a dual-camera arrangement on both the front and rear, equipping it with twin 16-megapixel rear snappers and 8-megapixel selfie sensors. There’s also a 6in QHD+ screen and its capable of recording footage at 4K 60fps.
All-in-all, that’s not bad for a phone that’s around £735 – although that price will change thanks to the fluctuating nature of cryptocurrencies. It remains to be seen if HTC’s handset will actually be worth it for those with skin in the crypto game. Lord knows HTC needs a mobile success, and it’s not quite clear if the Exodus 1 is the right horse to be backing.
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