Solana Mobile’s second phone termed as Chapter 2 has recorded 30,000 preorders in its first 30 hours. Announced earlier this week, the phone saw over 25,000 preorders in the first 24 hours. Impressively, the new phone witnessed significant early success compared to its predecessor Saga.
Solana First Smartphone
Initially launched in mid-2023, Solana’s first smartphone Saga recorded low sales in its early days. In contrast to its creator’s expectation of about 25,000 to 50,000 units sales, the phone only sold 2,500 units.
A popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee even labeled the smartphone as the “failure of 2023”, further discouraging users from purchasing the phone, tagging it as a “terrible idea.”
However, the Saga device started gaining more attention from users when dog-focused memecoin BONK’s decentralized application (dApp) announced that it was providing 30 million BONK tokens to Saga owners for free. Following the news, the number of active devices soars to a new high, surpassing 15,000.
Solana Mobile’s Second Phone Sees High Preorders
Following the announcement of the second crypto-enabled smartphone, Solana Mobile hit its seven-day sales goal within the first 24 hours, recording over 25,000 preorders, and by the 30-hour mark, preorders rose to 30,000. With these numbers, it could be said that chapter 2 has already eclipsed 12 months’ worth of sales of Saga.
The new phone will have the same basic features as its predecessor which are: an onboard crypto wallet, custom Android software, and a “dApp store” for crypto applications – but at a cheaper price point and with different hardware. Unlike Saga which was initially sold for $1000 but consequently reduced due to struggling sales, chapter 2 is initially being offered at $450.
Speaking on chapter 2 impressive record, Raj Gokal, co-founder of Solana and president of Solana Labs, said:
“For developers, Solana Mobile is creating a massive opportunity for crypto app teams looking to incentivize their users. It gives them a concentrated distribution channel to die-hard, dedicated users. It allows them to do this without any prohibitive app store fees.”
Additionally, Gokal said that the device represents what is possible with crypto, providing value in incentivizing apps to users. Meanwhile, a Solana spokesperson said that the new phone should be expected in the first half of 2025.
