Solana Announces the “Seeker” Smartphone at Half the Price of Saga

Solana has officially unveiled its latest smartphone, the “Seeker,” which is priced between $450 and $500 for pre-orders—half the price of its predecessor, the Saga. While retaining its crypto-focused appeal, Seeker promises a host of exciting new features, distancing itself from being just the “memecoin phone.”

Seeker: A New Era for Solana Smartphones

When Solana launched the Saga in 2022, it faced early criticism for its technical limitations. However, Saga’s sales skyrocketed in December 2022, thanks to a sudden 1,000% surge in the memecoin Bonk (BONK), leading to a sell-out. Solana hasn’t forgotten that boost and plans to offer similar rewards to Seeker buyers.

At the TOKEN2049 event in Singapore, Emmett Hollyer, General Manager at Solana Labs, described Seeker as a “rewards magnet” but emphasized that it won’t rely solely on memecoins for its success. “Seeker, just like Saga, will be a rewards magnet, but also, it’s a huge opportunity for teams to build totally new experiences,” Hollyer said.

Features & Upgrades

Seeker comes with substantial hardware improvements over its predecessor, including:

• A higher-quality screen
• Improved cameras
• A longer-lasting battery

Hollyer described the phone as being “lighter, brighter, and better,” but clarified that Solana is not aiming to compete directly with mobile giants like Apple and Samsung. Instead, their focus is on maximizing crypto utility in a handheld device.

One of Seeker’s standout features is its open DApp store, which will allow developers to launch and deploy applications without the restrictive policies of Apple and Google. This is expected to be a significant advantage, particularly for token launchpads, which have long been hindered by the 30% fees imposed by traditional app stores.

Rewards & Ecosystem Expansion

While the initial token rewards for Seeker users—valued at approximately $265—are lower than the $1,350 airdropped to Saga users, Hollyer argued that rewards are only part of the appeal. The true potential of Seeker lies in its ability to support a wide range of crypto experiences, from DeFi and payments to gaming and the Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), such as Helium.

With its zero-fee app store and crypto-friendly innovation, Seeker is poised to open new possibilities for developers and users, positioning it as a game-changer for Solana’s ecosystem.