Solana Mobile’s latest crypto-enabled smartphone, Chapter 2, has set a new record for preorders, surpassing the entire first-year sales of its predecessor, Saga, within its first 30 hours of the announcement.
The company reported 25,000 preorders in the initial 24 hours, and by the 30-hour mark, the number had skyrocketed to 30,000.
Solana Labs President and co-founder Raj Gokal has expressed his excitement about the success of Chapter 2 and its potential impact on the crypto app ecosystem.
Solana’s Chapter 2 is set to showcase the potential of crypto-enabled smartphones. Gokal emphasized that the device represents the possibilities within the crypto space, providing value by incentivizing app usage among its users.
“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,” said Gokal.
Chapter 2 boasts similar features to its predecessor, including a Seed Vault, an onboard crypto wallet, custom Android software, and a dedicated “dApp store” for crypto applications. However, the new device has a lower price point and different hardware.
While Saga was initially priced at $1,000 but later reduced due to struggling sales, Chapter 2 is being offered at a more affordable $450.
Meanwhile, a Solana spokesperson revealed that the eagerly awaited Chapter 2 will hit the market in the first half of 2025.
The success of Chapter 2 marks a significant turnaround for Solana Mobile, which faced challenges with its first smartphone, Saga, launched in mid-2023.
Initially projecting sales of 25,000 to 50,000 units, Saga fell short, only managing to sell 2,500 units. As a result, it faced criticism, with prominent YouTuber Marques Brownlee labeling it as the “failure of 2023.”
However, Saga gained newfound attention when the dApp of the memecoin BONK announced it would distribute 30 million BONK tokens to Saga owners for free.
Following this news, the number of active Saga devices surged, surpassing 15,000 and gradually changing the device’s perception from a flop to a success.