CES 2020 is about to open a new decade of consumer electronics inventions, and the star of the show is the worlds first blockchain-powered smartphone.
With the arrival of 2020, the world has officially entered into a new decade, which will undoubtedly bring new technologies and inventions, but also new threats. When it comes to threats online, there is definitely no shortage of them.
Hackers and other cybercriminals seem to be everywhere, with malware, viruses, and alike constantly getting more sophisticated. Meanwhile, the number of internet users around the world is on a constant rise, making more and more people vulnerable to said threats.
This is no secret, either, and some studies suggest that 8 out of 10 internet users feel vulnerable while online, with little to no control over their data. So far, security researchers managed to convince the authorities of the dangers and the reality and severity of these threats, although a few steps that were taken to mitigate these threats have yet to bring any major impact.
This is where blockchain technology, with its decentralized nature and immutability, comes into play, promising a real method of increasing security for the first time in years. However, with the number of mobile users constantly on the rise, there was a major demand and an even bigger lack of blockchain-based smartphones. A few attempts to make them in the past failed due to the lack of awareness, trust, or interest.
This is why Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 is expected to be a major game-changer, as it will introduce the worlds first blockchain-powered phone, called Blok on Blok (BOB). BOB is a product created by a company Pundi X, headquartered in Singapore, and it acts as its first flagship smartphone product.
The phone was originally known as XPhone, and it was presented during the Bali Blockchain Summit in 2018. After the Summit, the company rebranded and perfected the phone, ensuring the users utmost privacy by developing a new operating system, f(x) OS (Function X OS). The system ensures that every call, text, or other action, are made online, through a decentralized app or browser.
Meanwhile, each BOB phone acts as a node of the network, which eliminates the need for a centralized service provider or carrier. Simply put, the more BOBs there are in the world, the bigger the network, and the stronger the decentralization.
Pundi Xs co-founder and CEO, Zac Cheah, stated that the goal is to ensure that the users data will belong to the users themselves and that the last decade has proven that users need to be more careful with their information.
However, since it will take time for people to get used to the idea of a decentralized network for their phone, BOB will have an option to switch between blockchain mode to more traditional states. This is possible due to the Android 9 Pie OS.
In terms of design, BOB has a retro-futuristic look, and each package will include the MOD assembly kit, including core components and various accessories.
While its default form certainly feels futuristic and sci-fi, users will have the ability to customize its look through 3D printing. Meanwhile, the Function X Foundation plans to invite designers from around the world, and ask them to submit their ideas for the blockchain-powered phone, resulting in 5-10 different MOD designs, in total.
BOB can be pre-ordered today, January 7th, on Indiegogo at 9 am PST. Early birds can expect a discount, while the latest prototype can be seen at the CES 2020 at Sands, Hall G 52501 in Eureka Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What do you think about the new BOB smartphone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Images via Shutterstock, Youtube @FunctionX
Read this article:
World's First Blockchain-Powered Phone Arrives at CES 2020 - Bitcoinist
- Blockchain: The Complete Guide | WIRED [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2018] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2018]
- What Is Blockchain Technology? - cbinsights.com [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2018] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2018]
- 7 Ways Blockchain Will Enable Entrepreneurs in 2018 | Inc.com [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2018] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2018]
- Blockchain technology | Microsoft Azure [Last Updated On: March 26th, 2018] [Originally Added On: March 26th, 2018]
- Blockchain Wallet on the App Store - itunes.apple.com [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2018] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2018]
- Bitcoin and Blockchain - Bloomberg [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2018] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2018]
- Blockchain - The Daily Reckoning [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2018] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2018]
- BIS show London - Blockchain Conference London | FinTech ... [Last Updated On: July 14th, 2018] [Originally Added On: July 14th, 2018]
- 2018 Bahamas Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Conference [Last Updated On: July 27th, 2018] [Originally Added On: July 27th, 2018]
- WORLD BLOCKCHAIN CONFERENCE [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2018] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2018]
- Azure Blockchain Workbench | Microsoft Azure [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- Crypto Guru on Bitcoin, ICOs, Blockchain, ETFs, & More ... [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- Dot Blockchain Media [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- 75 banks join JPMorgan-led blockchain payment project ... [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- Walmart will use blockchain to ensure the safety of leafy greens [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- Malta wants to become 'Blockchain Island' [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- Walmart is betting on the blockchain to improve food safety ... [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- From Farm to Blockchain: Walmart Tracks Its Lettuce [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2018] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2018]
- The Truth About Blockchain - Harvard Business Review [Last Updated On: October 2nd, 2018] [Originally Added On: October 2nd, 2018]
- Blockchain.io | Your Gateway to the Internet of Value [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2018] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2018]
- Blockchain Whispers: The Most Accurate Crypto Signals [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2018] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2018]
- MLG Blockchain - Expert Blockchain Consulting & Development [Last Updated On: December 10th, 2018] [Originally Added On: December 10th, 2018]
- What Is The Blockchain? - Pixel Privacy [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2018] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2018]
- Blockchain Wallet: Bitcoin on the App Store [Last Updated On: January 13th, 2019] [Originally Added On: January 13th, 2019]
- The Ultimate Guide To Understanding What A Blockchain Is ... [Last Updated On: March 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: March 20th, 2019]
- Amazon Managed Blockchain [Last Updated On: March 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: March 20th, 2019]
- What Is Blockchain? The Complete WIRED Guide | WIRED [Last Updated On: March 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: March 20th, 2019]
- Symmetry [Last Updated On: March 28th, 2019] [Originally Added On: March 28th, 2019]
- What is Blockchain Technology? A Beginners Guide [Last Updated On: April 18th, 2019] [Originally Added On: April 18th, 2019]
- Yosemite X uses blockchain tech to shorten payments trip ... [Last Updated On: April 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: April 20th, 2019]
- BitcoinSVs blockchain is struggling with its enormous 128MB ... [Last Updated On: April 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: April 20th, 2019]
- Jimmy Song discusses Bitcoin, blockchain, and the crypto space [Last Updated On: April 20th, 2019] [Originally Added On: April 20th, 2019]
- Blockchain on AWS [Last Updated On: May 5th, 2019] [Originally Added On: May 5th, 2019]
- Blockchain Login Blockchain [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2019] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2019]
- German telecom giant hires blockchain professor hopefully, its a good thing - The Next Web [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Israeli Startup Creates Offline Wallet With Access to the Blockchain - CoinDesk [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Overstock seeks blockchain stock registration with SEC - CoinGeek [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Telefnica Making Provisions Not To Miss The Blockchain Boat - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Verizon and Wells Fargo Are Getting on the Blockchain - Market Realist [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Blockchain Mortgages Could Help The Impending Recession - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- The Smartest Way to Buy Blockchain Stocks - Zacks.com [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Vodafone litters London with blockchain tokens in new augmented reality game - The Next Web [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- 5 Enterprise Blockchain Stories of the Week - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- ternity Partners with Uruguay Can to Track Cannabis Production on the Blockchain - GlobeNewswire [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Putting blockchain technology to good use - ComputerWeekly.com [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Blockchain simplified: How it eliminates the middleman - Big Think [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Building On Blockchain Without Code: Proxeus Goes Live - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Googles Quantum Computing Breakthrough Brings Blockchain Resistance Into the Spotlight Again - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Five things to know about blockchain and CRE - REjournals.com [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- Blockchain Technology Is Already Improving Lives At 22 Hospitals - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- How Blockchain Is Changing The Game For Social Impact Initiatives - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2019] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2019]
- The Shift Toward Decentralized Finance: Why Are Financial Firms Turning To Crypto? - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Could Blockchain Revolutionize the Real Estate Industry? - RisMedia.com [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Cross Reality And Blockchain - A New Era Of The VR Industry - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Vontobel to offer structured product using blockchain technology - Investment Europe [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- MineRP to partner with Karuschain to adopt blockchain platform - Mining Technology [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Stellar Development Foundation proposes to disable inflation mechanism from its protocol - The Block Crypto [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- BurstIQ raises $5.5M to bring blockchain to the healthcare space - VatorNews [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Blockchains Next Frontier: Saving the Planet (and Possibly Pandas, Too) - Observer [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Mark Cuban bullish on blockchain, but would take bananas over bitcoin - The Block Crypto [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Energy Industry Blockchain Landscape - The National Law Review [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- US Homeland Security grants blockchain credentialing contract to Danube Tech - Ledger Insights [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- U Wyoming Spurs Blockchain Development with Hackathon 'Stampede' - Campus Technology [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- How the blockchain is inspiring organizational design - Quartz [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Blockchain At The United Nations Leading Solutions To The Global Crisis - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Exploring cryptocurrency and blockchain in Iceland - Penn: Office of University Communications [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Will Facebook's Libra Overtake Bitcoin Cryptocurrency And The Ethereum Blockchain? How Will It Work? - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Overstock.com Hones In On Blockchain Identity With Medici Ventures And Evernym Partnership - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- How Blockchain Is Affecting The Marketing And Advertising Industry - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Japanese Messaging App LINE Positioning Itself As Leader In Blockchain and Crypto Space - Forbes [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Could Blockchain Help the Cannabis Industry? Were About to Find Out - Observer [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2019]
- Energy Blockchain Applications Expected to Experience a 67% CAGR - Transmission & Distribution World [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Blockchain Technology is Disrupting the Startup Ecosystem - Times of India [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Is blockchain the answer for sustainability in the cocoa sector? - ConfectioneryNews.com [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Blockchain voting is vulnerable to hackers, software glitches and bad ID photos among other problems - The Conversation US [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Blockchain is not the only solution for better and faster payments - Euromoney magazine [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Can blockchain restore trust to the fund management and audit industries? - Accountancy Age [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Smart contracts and blockchain will provide needed trust, says Princeton professor - TechRepublic [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2019: Blockchain strategy must evolve at the same pace as technology - TechRepublic [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]
- Binance CEO: Putin Is the Most Influential Person in Blockchain - Cointelegraph [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2019] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2019]