16 May 2018 00:38 EDT . 1 min read

HTC Makes ‘Exodus’ to Blockchain with New Crypto-friendly Smartphone

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Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has announced it will release a blockchain-powered Android handset called the Exodus. HTC says the device will feature a pre-installed universal cryptocurrency wallet, and will provide support for decentralized blockchain apps. No exact date or price details have yet been revealed.

The device can be used as a node on HTC’s own blockchain platform, allowing for peer-to-peer trading between fellow device users.

Per Business Insider, the company says it will also allow customers to purchase the Exodus using cryptocurrencies.

The Next Web reports that Phil Chen, the founder of HTC Vive (the company’s virtual reality (VR) headset) has been appointed as the head of HTC’s blockchain operations.

Chen told attendees at the Consensus 2018 conference, per The Verge, “We envision a phone where you hold your own keys, you own your own identity and data, and your phone is the hub.”

The Next Web also quotes Chen as saying, “Through Exodus, we are excited to be supporting underlying protocols such as Bitcoin, Lightning Networks, Ethereum, Dfinity and more. In the next few months we’ll be announcing many more exciting partnerships.”

HTC Vive apps include Bitcoin VR, a blockchain exploratory platform that allows users to see visual representations of real-time Bitcoin transactions taking place.