Since the iPhone ushered in the smartphone era, mobile ecosystems have grown ever richer — gradually folding in the wallet, browser, calculator, computer, and payments — becoming a compendium of functions from many domains. The convenience phones bring to daily life is obvious to all.
At this point, many started to wonder whether crypto and blockchains could enter everyday hardware ecosystems. From wallets, browsers, and smart contracts to embedding crypto elements directly into the phone, an impatient yet ambitious experiment emerged: the Web3 phone. These devices carry the vision of “bringing blockchain into daily life” — with built-in crypto wallets, preloaded token airdrops, dApp entry points, and freedom from traditional app-store gatekeeping. Yet when ideals meet reality, deeper issues in technology, markets, governance, and security are exposed.
Recently, the end of support for Solana Saga became a landmark event in Web3 phone history. Just two years after launch, the device has “reached its end,” and the reasons and lessons behind that deserve serious reflection.
This article starts from the development arc of Web3 phones, analyzes Saga’s rise and fall, and then examines from an industry perspective: why has this track repeatedly been “brimming with ambition” yet “delivering modest returns”? Can Web3 phones reboot? And what does this mean for brands, developers, and users?
The Vision of Web3 Phones and Three Development Stages
As we noted at the outset, “the phone” is an indispensable portal for modern life. Images, finance, social, gaming, payments — nearly all digital life gathers in a pocket-sized device. The blockchain community recognized early on: if decentralized asset management, secure wallets, identity, and cross-chain interactions could be built into phones, then Web3 could reach ordinary users and move from “within the circle” to “within daily life.”
Thus, the Web3 phone vision can be summarized in three points:
- •Native wallet and self-custody — users own their private keys, without intermediaries.
- •dApp ecosystem entry — the phone is not just a browser, but an on-chain application portal.
- •Escape from traditional app-store constraints — remove potential risks of fees, review, and de-listing by platforms.
Against this backdrop, Saga and more than a dozen so-called “crypto phones” followed. From hardware partnerships, preinstalled wallets, and airdrop incentives to on-chain identity binding, they shone brightly. But beyond the vision lurked layered challenges in ecosystems, business models, technology, and regulation.
Phase One: Exploration (Web3 Phone 1.0 Representatives) — HTC Exodus and Sirin Labs Finney
To talk about Web3 phone 1.0, we have to go back to around 2018, when a crypto wave was just beginning and some hardware makers were first to spot the opportunity. Two of the most representative:
1) HTC Exodus (2018)
From the former Android heavyweight HTC came a bold attempt.
- •Built-in cold wallet “Zion Vault,” supporting BTC, ETH, and other majors.
- •The main selling point was “blockchain security,” emphasizing user-held private keys.
- •Sales weren’t hot; according to HTC execs, first-year volume was under 100,000.
- •Core failure reason: immature on-chain app ecosystems and high user education costs.
2) Sirin Labs Finney (2018)
- •Raised over $100M to build, running SIRIN OS with direct dApp support.
- •Likewise featured a hardware wallet and token payment functions.
- •Ultimately couldn’t escape “cash-grab” doubts — after a brief spike, it faded quickly.
Summary: This stage was more like “proof-of-concept” devices, proving “phone + blockchain” could be built and used. Unfortunately, the market wasn’t ready and users didn’t quite get it.
Phase Two: Practical Transition (Web3 Phone 2.0 Representatives) — Solana Saga, Binance Mini Phone, etc.
By 2022–2023, the landscape began to change. The crypto ecosystem had matured far beyond five years prior — NFT booms, DeFi’s move toward mainstream, USDT’s global circulation — making Web3 phones look less like “niche toys.”
1) Solana Saga
- •Officially launched by Solana Labs, aiming to be “Solana’s mobile gateway.”
- •Shipped with Solana Mobile Stack (SMS), letting developers run dApps on the phone more easily.
- •Built-in Seed Vault secure module for OS-level key management.
Priced at $999, initial reception was lukewarm, but later, thanks to BONK giveaways, NFT airdrops, and other “benefit strategies,” it unexpectedly took off; secondary prices once climbed above $3,000. It clearly boosted the ecosystem and energized a wave of “mobile-first” crypto projects.
Phase Three: Modularization, AI Integration, and Strong DID — Toward a 3.0 Web3 Phone
In 2025, Web3 phones finally reached a 3.0 stage. The focus is no longer “bundling crypto tools,” but building a composite platform that serves as a decentralized identity terminal + an autonomously running node + an AI strategy module, truly fusing on-chain identity + on-chain assets + on-chain compute. Users aren’t merely “visitors” to the crypto world; they become part of the ecosystem — potentially even the primary beneficiaries.
Three Structural Factors Behind Web3 Phone Failures or Bottlenecks
From the Saga case, we can see these devices face multiple constraints:
1) Hardware and Supply-Chain Cost Challenges
Creating a phone entails heavy costs in design, manufacturing, certification, logistics, and after-sales. Web3-specific needs (wallet security, preinstalled cold storage, chain compatibility) raise the bar further. If sales volume is insufficient, costs can’t be amortized. Saga’s price cuts and speculative resale signal a mismatch between demand and cost.
2) Ecosystem Entry Still Isn’t Mainstream
Even with preinstalled wallets and crypto connectivity, mainstream users’ awareness and usage of crypto assets remain marginal. Without mainstream apps or convenient scenarios, the phone itself struggles to become a “must-have.” Moreover, traditional ecosystems are dominated by App Store/Google Play; if Web3 devices can’t offer a superior alternative experience, user migration willingness is limited.
3) Lifecycle and Security Trust Issues
Phones are a long-term hardware commitment. Users expect years of updates, security patches, and ecosystem support. If Web3 phones have very short support cycles, lightweight ecosystems, and thin after-sales, users will perceive them as “experimental gear,” making broad trust hard to earn. Saga’s two-year support cycle directly broke that promise.
Despite Current Bottlenecks, the Track Still Holds Potential Value
Future Paths and Optimizations
1) Focus on Real User Scenarios, Not Just Airdrop Lures
Next-gen devices should place more emphasis on blending “crypto + everyday phone”: on-chain identity login, NFTs as contacts, the wallet as payments, and a portal for on-chain gaming. If users can switch seamlessly and with strong convenience, then mass appeal becomes possible.
2) Extend Support Cycles and Strengthen Security Guarantees
Hardware lifespans, system updates, and ecosystem compatibility must at least keep pace with mainstream Android devices (5+ years). Otherwise, switching costs are too high for users.
3) Open Ecosystems with Multi-Chain Support
They shouldn’t be limited to a single chain. Devices that support multiple chains, cross-chain assets, and decentralized app stores will reach a broader audience.
4) Partner with Mainstream Phone Brands/Carriers
If Web3 phones can launch in partnership with major brands/carriers, distribution, after-sales, and trust improve. Make crypto functions part of flagship phones instead of “starting from scratch.”
5) Innovate Hardware Cost Recovery Models
Preinstalled wallets, airdrops, co-issued tokens, and on-chain identity rewards can subsidize hardware costs — but the key is long-term ecosystem value, not one-off hype.
Conclusion: Web3 Phones Aren’t a Scam, but Hype Can’t Be the Strategy
While Saga’s end-of-support looks like a “failure,” we shouldn’t view it as the definitive failure of Web3 phones. It’s more of a dress rehearsal — a reminder that stacking hardware with blockchain isn’t a shortcut to success.
For Web3 phones to succeed, they must plant their feet firmly on generality, entry-point value, and ecosystem continuity. If they can achieve daily user willingness to use, continuous on-chain value accrual, and a healthy hardware cost model, then “Web3 phones” will have the right to become the next-generation computing portal — and not just a passing crypto fad.
