- Solana could be planning a follow-up to its Saga phone
- The new model will be more affordable as the company looks to profit from the original Saga phone’s unexpected popularity
- The BONK airdrop given away with the phone became more valuable than the device last year
Solana Mobile plans to launch a second smartphone following the unexpected success of its initial crypto-ready device, Saga, according to Coindesk. The outlet cites a source as saying that the new phone will retain key features – an onboard crypto wallet, custom Android software, and a dApp store – but at a more affordable price point and with different hardware than its predecessor, which initially cost $1,000. The original phone’s pricing was later reduced due to sluggish sales before the BONK airdrop saw the phone’s inherent value shoot through the roof, as did sales.
BONK Launches Saga into the Stratosphere
Solana’s first Saga phone was not received with enthusiasm from the crypto community, to the point where the company was considering its future following two price reductions in the 18 months since its launch. However, it witnessed a surge in sales at the end of last year due to the unexpected 1,000% rise in the value of the BONK memecoin, which were given away as an airdrop with the phone.
In December the value of the airdrop outstripped the phone’s retail price, with the unforeseen popularity leading to a shortage of Saga phones globally. A huge secondary market has sprung up, with factory-sealed Saga devices drawing bids at $3,200 on eBay, indicating a fivefold increase from their value five weeks ago.
People Just Want Airdrops
The introduction of the new Solana Mobile phone aims to address this burgeoning secondary market and capitalize on this newfound demand, offering similar features at a more accessible price range. However, it seems that what the punters really want is potentially profitable airdrops, with the phone itself not garnering particularly positive reviews.
