HTC Exodus Blockchain-Based Smartphone Looks Set to Debut on October 22

HTC Exodus, the blockchain-focused smartphone that was announced in May, is apparently set to arrive publicly on October 22. HTC has released a teaser video through the newly created HTC Exodus Instagram account that shows "10.22" to hint at the launch of the upcoming smartphone. The teased launch date is notably in line with the recent revelation through a dedicated website. The official site also started taking registrations, possibly to determine the demand of the HTC Exodus before its formal launch. A recent report separately mentioned that the HTC Exodus will be available for purchase globally, except in China. Price details and specifications of the smartphone are yet to be revealed, though.

The official HTC Exodus Instagram account has posted a teaser video that reveals the launch date. The video shows a glimpse of the HTC Exodus, but it begins with the X character and showing the October 22 as the launch date. The dedicated site that was released in July showed that the smartphone will come as the "first cold wallet phone with recovery" offering. "Our vision is to expand the blockchain ecosystem by creating the world's first phone dedicated to decentralised applications and security," the company wrote on its site.

The HTC Exodus will work with multiple protocols to enable interoperability between different blockchains and provide a streamlined mobile user experience to the DApp community, as per the features mentioned on the official site. The smartphone is also expected to come with a universal wallet-like functionality to host cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, HTC is set to use the Exodus as a node to "double and triple the number of nodes of Ethereum and Bitcoin".

HTC has already revealed its partnership with CryptoKitties to let users experience how the blockchain technology works. CryptoKitties is claimed to be the "world's biggest game to be built on blockchain technology", and unlike any cryptocurrency, it uses the blockchain technology to build digital creatures that users can collect, breed, and trade. The game will importantly debut on the HTC U12+ before making its way to the HTC Exodus.

In an interview with The Verge back in July, HTC's Chief Crypto Officer Phil Chen highlighted that the developer-level construction of the HTC Exodus was started in early 2018, though the plans were finalised around April. Chen also confirmed that the phone would be available "everywhere outside of China".

Earlier this year, Swiss startup Sirin Labs launched the Sirin Finney that it claimed as the world's first blockchain-powered smartphone. The phone has a 6-inch display along with an 18:9 aspect ratio and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. It comes with a target price of $999 (roughly Rs. 73,900).