OSOM promises that its crypto phone won’t require you to care about crypto

Unsurprisingly, the Solana Saga and the company’s switch to cryptocurrency dominated the discourse. Although it is based on the initial OSOM OV1 plans, this smartphone is not the same one we first saw in December. In reference to the mid-development switch to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, Keats claims that the transfer went well, in large part because of its collaboration with Qualcomm.

OSOM is thrilled to partner with @Solana to produce the Saga, a flagship Android mobile phone with unique functionality and features tightly integrated with the Solana blockchain.https://t.co/SeW3jZssDE

— OSOMPrivacy (@OsomPrivacy) June 23, 2022

In contrast to Nothing, OSOM plans to simultaneously launch the Solana Saga in North America and Europe. Although the gadget lacks the spectrum required for Dish’s new 5G network, support for T-Mobile and its future satellite network with SpaceX is guaranteed. My apologies if you were hoping to switch networks once it goes live in your city. The excluded bands appear to correspond with the list we published in June, while OSOM hopes to offer a complete list of suitable bands closer to launch.

In terms of the camera, you shouldn’t anticipate Pixel-quality right away. Even yet, months before the product’s release, Keats believes his team has already outperformed Apple in terms of color reproduction, and he thinks that consumers will be impressed by what a small team like OSOM has been able to do. We’ll need to see some real-world examples before making a judgment, but it doesn’t necessarily seem as remarkable as one might anticipate.

When hearing about a crypto-based phone, it can be difficult to distinguish between the base software experience and the common fears. Nonetheless, let’s get started. Keats claims that the experience is based on stock Android with a few minor tweaks, which seems like an approach similar to that of Nothing from earlier this year. However, he downplays comparable efforts from Nothing or OnePlus by explicitly comparing the OS to Google’s Pixel upgrades.

Although Keats guarantees the Solana Saga software support for a minimum of four years, he declined to say how many significant Android updates the gadget would receive over its lifetime. Likewise, don’t anticipate monthly upgrades to be as speedy as Essential. Keats claims that the certification procedure is more difficult than it was during the Essential era, but he is in discussion with Google about how to make it easier for customers to receive these patches. 

Hello, everyone 👋 pic.twitter.com/i1M2kDZC81

— Solana Mobile (@solanamobile) June 23, 2022

The gadget may be purchased and used without ever engaging with Solana as a form of payment or any of the crypto-based functions on the phone, OSOM wants to reassure crypto-skeptics. Keats assured customers that those features are not necessary, likening them to the settings accessibility menu. Keats underlined that the current cryptocurrency crisis hasn’t had much of an impact on OSOM prices for any prospective customers who may be concerned.

The business hasn’t forgotten its enthusiast roots despite the shift to cryptocurrency. Through its website, OSOM will sell replacement parts, and you may fix the phone without using specialized equipment. Although nothing is official yet, the business is also interested in launching a community for the Saga’s custom ROMs.

There is nothing concrete to announce today regarding OSOM’s future. Keats did, however, hint at some areas of interest, such as wearable technology and the automobile industry. He did go into more detail about cars, but neither sounded like an announcement so much as a couple of fields the corporation might join if the Saga is a success. Keats worked on the first iteration of CarPlay, but he has never been happy with the way cars and smartphones communicate, even though fixing this would require an automotive partner. 

The former @essential team that brought you the PH1 was sooooo close to launching Project GEM! We promise to keep these conceptual “gems” alive in the future. 😉 #osom2021@OSOMKeats @wolfgangjr @davee5 @gareoke @nick_franco @andyfouche @squaretobehip @hoss_vw @roncheung00 pic.twitter.com/J5bFmHBdCb

— OSOMPrivacy (@OsomPrivacy) December 10, 2021

Project GEM was arguably the most intriguing for both present and former technologies. That phone, which was almost finished under Essential, was supposed to continue development under OSOM, but sadly, things didn’t work out. Keats is nevertheless considering utilizing novel form factors in the future.

Despite this Q&A, there are still many unanswered issues regarding OSOM’s future and whether the Saga will truly compete with other enthusiast smartphones from Nothing and OnePlus. Expect to learn much more about the device throughout the remainder of the year as the schedule for a Q1 launch is still on track. There are no plans to sell the phone through additional shops like Best Buy or Amazon; it is only available for pre-order on the Solana Mobile website right now. Keats confirmed that the company does not collaborate with carriers, so if you were looking to place an order through your carrier, you’re out of luck.