The Lightning Network (LN) has seen some truly staggering innovation in recent months. Initial beta testing and other advancements have thrust it into the spotlight, with this latest development set have people talking about its potential further. The first mobile wallet designed for LN use has officially been launched, which represents another massive milestone for Lightning Labs. Named Eclair, the app is a creation of exciting tech startup ACINQ, with it currently available via the Google Play Store.
Step into the next generation
Exclusively for Android devices operating Lollipop 5.0 or higher at this point, it will allow users to send LN payments on the move. Obviously, these payments incur a nominal transaction fee when compared to standard Bitcoin network fees, with almost instant confirmation. Bringing the benefits of LN to the mobile stage, the introduction of Eclair has the undoubted power to be a trend-setting app. ACINQ describes the app on its Github as, “a next generation, Lightning-ready Bitcoin wallet. It can be used as a regular Bitcoin wallet and can also connect to the Lightning Network for cheap and instant payments.”
Exciting Eclair developments
The Lightning Network was seen as just an impressive idea less than a year ago, but it has since become a realistic solution to Bitcoin’s scalability problem. The release of Eclair – which is impressive enough in its own right – marks the next development in a long-list of exciting LN developments. Since the early weeks of 2018 LN has been making huge waves, with it becoming a clear and obvious part of Bitcoin’s exciting future. A few weeks ago, the protocol’s first main net product implementation went live. Since then tools from other, private developers – including Eclair – have progressed rapidly. The lightning-fast growth – if you pardon the pun – has been boosted in part thanks to SegWit technology gaining acceptance on the Bitcoin mainnet.
The Bitcoin scalability solution
We’ve not been afraid to discuss Bitcoin’s growing scalability issue before, but the progress LN has made shows that this problem could soon be a thing of the past. LN has now been able to breach the mobile platform thanks to Eclair, which is a major forward step for the Lightning Labs team. With adoption and advancement progressing at such a rapid rate, you can’t help but feel that the Lightning Network will change the face and function of Bitcoin in the very near future.
