If you've amassed a fortune in cryptocurrencies, you probably don't keep it all (or any of it) on your mobile phone. But a company called Sikur wants you to reconsider that.
。 On Tuesday, the company has launched a security-oriented smartphone called the SikurPhone. One of its main features is a built-in cryptocurrency wallet which, ideally, would allow you to keep cryptocoins on your phone without having to worry about losing them. 。 SEE ALSO:The 'Matrix phone' is back and it's awful..。The phone itself is based on a highly customized version of Android 7.0, Sikur's COO Alexandre Vasconcelos told me at the company's booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It's not for the common user: It doesn't have access to Google's Play Store, it won't run any apps that haven't been vetted by Sikur, and its interface is far more spartan and corporate-looking than that of your typical, everyday Android. 。 The specs won't wow you either, thought they're probably good enough for most users: a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, a MediaTek MT6750 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 2,800mAh battery and a 13-megapixel rear camera, as well as a 5-megapixel selfie shooter.
。 Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Mashable Light SpeedWant more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. 。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.。Thanks for signing up!。 But this phone isn't about playing Android games -- in fact, I bet that most users won't even use it as their main device. "It's sort of like the Ledger," said Vasconcelos, referring to a hardware wallet that's a popular choice for securely storing cryptocurrency. "If you lose your phone, we can remotely wipe it for you. You can get a new one, log in, and your funds will be safe, as your private keys are stored in our cloud." 。 There's a potential problem there: What Vasconcelos is describing is nothing like the Ledger, which keeps the private keys solely on the device itself. Keeping cryptocurrency private keys -- which are basically the only thing you need to access your coins -- in the cloud has potential drawbacks: The company's servers could get hacked. It's not exactly a rare ocurrence; two months into 2018 and we've already seen several major exchanges losing hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto due to hackers.。The SikurPhone has a fingerprint scanner on the back. If you lose the phone, you don't have to worry about someone cracking into it, as the company can wipe it for you remotely.Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable 。 While leaving their funds in the hands of a single company might not exactly be what cryptocurrency owners prefer, at least Sikur is addressing this concern the right way. In November and December of 2017, the company hired a bug bounty company called HackerOne to test its security. "They were unable to penetrate our defenses," Vasconcelos told me.。 The phone is not just for the crypto-wealthy; in fact, the wallet is just one of many apps available on the platform. Vasconcelos sees it mainly as a tool for corporations and governments, though he thinks there's lots of potential for individual users as well.
。 SikurPhone is available for pre-order now on Sikur's website for $799, with an expected August shipping date.
。 SikurPhone is available for pre-order now on Sikur's website for $799, with an expected August shipping date.
。 Bye-bye, Bitcoin. It's all about bananacoins.
。TopicsBitcoinCybersecurityMobile World CongressCryptocurrency。 |