Cloud computing service provider Google Cloud announced this weekend that it is set to run a node to validate transactions on the Solana network. Google Cloud is also pursuing a number of integrations that will improve the Solana developer experience, the company revealed in a Saturday tweet thread.
Blockchain validators are responsible for maintaining system efficiency by voting and forming new blocks in a blockchain. They do the work of verifying pieces of information on a block and forming new blocks by multi-layer voting.
Solana currently boasts around 3400 validators, with the addition of Google Cloud marking a new milestone for the so-called “Ethereum killer.” Notably, Google Cloud recently entered a similar partnership with Axie Infinity’s Ronin Network.
However, the partnership with Solana goes one step further. Google Cloud also announced that working with Solana to bring its Blockchain Node Engine to the Solana chain in the first quarter of 2023. The anticipated release will simplify the process of launching a dedicated cloud-based Solana node.
Google also stated it will be indexing Solana’s database and adding it to BigQuery to enable Solana ecosystem developers to easily access historical data. This addition will improve the efficiency of decentralized apps (dApps) on the network.
Solana’s “Saga” Phone to Ship in December, But for Developers
Other landmark news from the ongoing Solana Breakpoint conference is that the blockchain project is in the final stages of rolling out its previously announced mobile device, Saga. According to an update from Solana Mobile, the pre-production version Saga is set to begin shipping on December 15, with the device still on track for a 2023 public release.
The widely anticipated Android device is expected to, among other things, feature a Solana-native app store for users to download and interact with dApps on the network. Additionally, it will aim to disrupt the monopoly of existing mobile application stores that have until now restricted the growth of Web3 apps.
The latest Solana news from the conference has understandably affected the project’s native currency, SOL. The asset’s price recorded a 15% increase following the Google Cloud announcement and has maintained a double-digital gain over the past seven days.
