Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
HUAWEI reportedly considering a blockchain-ready smartphone - but why?
HUAWEI may be considering developing a smartphone that can run blockchain-based apps, according to a report from Bloomberg. Citing two people familiar with the plans, Bloomberg said that HUAWEI may make use of SIRIN LABS Labs’ “SIRIN LABS OS” operating system—based on Android—to deliver the functionality.
The report was published yesterday and both HUAWEI and SIRIN LABS Labs confirmed that the companies have been in contact, though no plans have been finalized.
A blockchain is a shared database is based on a network of connected devices, rather than relying on a single trusted party to maintain it. Because the data housed there is “public,” and not stored in one space, it offers unparalleled security (it was originally built to support bitcoin).
SIRIN LABS Labs has a smartphone that will run its SIRIN LABS OS, the Finney Smartphone, set for launch later this year. The OS makes use of the blockchain tech to offer a “built-in cold-storage crypto wallet,” “secure exchange access,” “encrypted communications,” and “peer-to-peer resource sharing.” But what would HUAWEI want with it?
Anybody following the Chinese manufacturer in the news recently may already have an inkling. It has been suggested that the company poses a national security threat in the US—something which has put a roadblock on HUAWEI’s attempts to enter that market.
Access to ultra-secure blockchain apps and services may offer HUAWEI further credibility as it makes efforts to prove its commitment to security.
HUAWEI refutes the claims, and a spokesperson for the company said last month that it “poses no greater cybersecurity risk than any ICT [information and communications technology] vendor.”
However, access to ultra-secure blockchain apps and services may offer HUAWEI further credibility as it makes efforts to prove its commitment to security, while giving device owners extra peace of mind when using its handsets. Of course, getting into the cryptocurrency market, worth an estimated $350 billion right now, probably appeals to HUAWEI as well even though the Chinese government has placed a number of restrictions on cryptocurrencies.
Bloomberg reports that the two companies have been discussions for a couple of months now. Given that HUAWEI was dealt its most recent major blow in the US only at the start of January, it appears the company has acted swiftly to try and get back on its feet; HUAWEI is still showing the signs of a manufacturer that wants the number one smartphone vendor crown within the next three years.