Solana Mobile is turning the page on its first crypto smartphone. The Saga, launched in 2023, will no longer receive updates or security patches. Just two years after its arrival on the market, the device was abandoned. An early obsolescence which contrasts with the standards of Apple and Google.
In brief
- Solana Mobile ceases support for Saga: no more software updates or security patches for the 20,000 devices sold.
- An ultra-short life cycle: just two years, compared to seven years at Apple and Google.
- All efforts are now focused on the Seeker, with over 150,000 pre-orders and a new ecosystem token planned.
- The Saga's crypto features remain operational, and wallets can be transferred to other devices.
Premature end for Solana's Saga smartphone
Solana Mobile formalized the abandonment of the Saga on Monday. Owners of the 20,000 units produced will no longer receive any updates.
“ Software updates and security patches are no longer available for Saga devices », Confirmed a manager on the official Discord.
The phone will remain functional, but frozen on Android 14 and its last patch of November 2024.
This announcement surprises with its speed. The Saga was marketed in April 2023. Its support therefore ends after barely 26 months of existence. For comparison, Apple only calls its iPhones “obsolete” after seven full years. Google and Samsung also offer seven years of support for their flagship devices. The gap is enormous.
The company justifies this decision by a strategic refocusing towards the Seeker, its second generation phone. But for the first adopters, the bill is bitter. Certainly, the crypto features continue to work.
Wallets can even be restored on other devices thanks to the “same-seed standard”. However, the absence of security patches exposes these devices to increasing vulnerabilities.
The Seeker to erase the mistakes of the past
Solana Mobile is betting everything on its new champion. The Seeker, which launched at $500, costs half as much as the Saga when it debuted. It has already recorded more than 150,000 pre-orders and the first shipments began in August. A success which contrasts violently with the failed start of its predecessor.
Solana's first crypto smartphone had a disastrous start. Sales were stagnant until a series of generous airdrops changed things in late 2023.
Holders were then able to collect several thousand dollars in free tokens, causing a rush for the last available stocks. A lesson from which the company seems to have benefited.
The Seeker has notable improvements: brighter screen, reinforced battery, redesigned interface. It retains the Seed Vault to secure private keys and offers an enhanced decentralized app store.
The major innovation? The SKR token, designed to align the interests of developers and users. The details remain unclear, but Solana Mobile promises a participatory economy around this ecosystem.
The company goes further by integrating TEEPIN, a security system that validates hardware and software without a centralized intermediary. No more Google or Apple to authorize applications. It's all about cryptography.
More than 100 native Web3 applications are already available at launch, from DeFi to gaming to NFTs.
In short, the Saga case reveals Solana Mobile's Achilles heel: sustainability. Two years of support are no match for the seven years guaranteed by the competition. The Seeker's 150,000 buyers are taking a calculated risk. It remains to be seen whether this time the company will be able to honor its commitment over the long term. Because in the mobile world, trust is built over years, not on announcements.
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