Solana has introduced its latest smartphone, the "Seeker," which is designed to offer users a range of crypto-integrated features and rewards. According to Solana Labs General Manager Emmett Hollyer, the Seeker will be a “rewards magnet,” but it’s more than just a device for memecoin enthusiasts. Priced at half the cost of its predecessor, Saga, the Seeker aims to provide a broader range of functionalities beyond meme coins.
The Seeker follows the Saga, which launched last year but struggled initially due to mixed reviews from both tech critics and crypto users. However, the Saga gained momentum after a 1,000% price surge in the meme coin Bonk (BONK) in December, causing the device to sell out by mid-December 2022. Learning from that experience, Solana plans to offer similar incentives to the 140,000 users who have pre-ordered the Seeker, paying between $450 and $500.
In an interview with Cointelegraph during the TOKEN2049 conference in Singapore, Hollyer emphasized that the Seeker would not only be a “rewards magnet” like the Saga but would also serve as a platform for developers to create innovative new experiences. He explained that the device would come with an upgraded decentralized app (DApp) store and better hardware, making it a versatile tool for interacting with the Solana network.
“It’s not just a memecoin phone,” Hollyer said. “The Seeker is going to support a variety of use cases on the network, from meme coins to DeFi, payments, and even gaming applications.”
Hollyer hopes that the Seeker’s open DApp store will allow developers to quickly launch and deploy new applications, helping users stay ahead of emerging trends in the crypto world.
The Seeker’s hardware upgrades aim to address some of the criticism that the Saga faced last year. While the Saga was compared unfavorably to more popular smartphones like the iPhone or Google Pixel, Hollyer claims that the Seeker will feature a higher-quality screen, better cameras, and an improved battery. The device will be “lighter, brighter, and better,” although Hollyer did not provide specific details on the upgrades.
Despite these improvements, Solana is not attempting to compete directly with major smartphone manufacturers like Apple or Samsung. Instead, the focus is on providing maximum crypto utility in a handheld device.
For those expecting major rewards through airdrops, the Seeker offers a promising start but may not match the Saga’s initial airdrop value. Data from Solana’s mobile airdrop tracker TwoLoot shows that Seeker users have received tokens worth about $265, significantly lower than the $1,350 in airdrops available on the Saga.
However, Hollyer stresses that the Seeker will offer more than just rewards. The goal is to provide users with new crypto-integrated experiences, and with its zero-fee app store, Solana is positioning the Seeker as a crypto-friendly device that encourages innovation.
