Saga, a smartphone developed by Solana Mobile for the crypto neighborhood, has been named the “Bust of the 12 months” by Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), a distinguished tech reviewer.
Solana Cell, a department of Solana Labs, ventured into the smartphone business with the launch of the Saga in April 2023.
Priced initially at $1,000, the telephone noticed a worth discount in August to broaden its consumer base.
The Saga, developed with OSOM’s experience, goals to revolutionize Web3 interactions on cellular units, specializing in safe cryptocurrency and NFT transactions.
The Saga boasts a 6.67-inch OLED display, 12 GB RAM, and 512 GB storage, powered by the Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1 Cell Platform. Its standout characteristic is the Solana Cell Stack (SMS), integrating crypto functionalities into the telephone’s {hardware} and software program. The “seed vault” securely shops personal keys, and the telephone affords a novel dapp retailer, free from the excessive charges typical of Apple and Google’s app shops.
Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana Labs, envisioned the Saga as a benchmark for cellular Web3 experiences. Nevertheless, MKBHD’s evaluate in September painted a special image. He traced the Saga’s origins to the Important Phone group, now half of OSOM. Whereas praising its construct high quality, together with a matte stainless-steel body and ceramic again, he famous its hefty weight and common specs, resembling a 1080p show and mediocre cameras. These elements, coupled with its preliminary excessive worth, contributed to its later worth discount.
Marques Brownlee, also called MKBHD, is a well known American YouTuber, greatest acknowledged for his technology-focused content material. He produces in-depth critiques, discussions, and analyses of numerous shopper electronics, together with smartphones, computer systems, and different devices. Brownlee is extremely regarded in the tech neighborhood for his insightful and detailed method to tech critiques, providing viewers a complete understanding of the newest technological developments and merchandise. His channel has garnered widespread recognition for its high quality content material and Brownlee’s experience in the tech subject.
Again in September, MKBHD reviewed the Saga, highlighting its crypto-centric options: the SMS, Seed Vault, and Dapp retailer. Nevertheless, he critiqued the SMS for its unique give attention to the Solana blockchain, limiting its attraction. The Seed Vault, whereas safe, and the Dapp retailer, although distinctive, didn’t absolutely justify the telephone’s worth, even after the discount.
Regardless of these criticisms, the Saga noticed a gross sales surge in mid-December 2023, pushed by the crypto neighborhood’s enthusiasm. Every Saga proprietor was entitled to an airdrop of 30 million Bonk (BONK) tokens, doubtlessly equating to a $1,000 return on a $599 funding. This led to the telephone promoting out, as introduced by Solana Cell on social media platform X.
Nevertheless, following the sell-out, Solana Cell confronted challenges. A listing administration situation with their third-party distributor led to an overestimation of accessible units, leading to unfulfillable orders and subsequent cancellations for suspicious actions. Affected prospects had been promised refunds, however this did little to alleviate the disappointment and confusion in the neighborhood.
MKBHD’s latest thread on X about the MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2023 additional solidified the Saga’s controversial standing. He labeled the Saga as the “Bust of the 12 months,” criticizing its underwhelming digital camera, show, and battery. He argued that its attraction is restricted to Solana lovers, overshadowing its high-quality construct.
In distinction, different smartphones obtained extra favorable recognition. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely was named the “Finest Massive Phone,” whereas the Asus Zenfone 10 took the title of “Finest Compact Phone.” The iPhone 15 Professional received for the greatest digital camera, and the Samsung Galaxy A54 was celebrated for its worth. The iPhone 15 Plus obtained the Battery Award, the Honor Magic V2 was lauded for its design, and the OnePlus Open was acknowledged as the greatest foldable. The “Most Improved” award went to the Nothing Phone 2, and the “Phone of the 12 months” award went to the Google Pixel 8.
Featured Picture by way of MKBHD’s YouTube Channel