Last year, rumors started circulating in the cryptocurrency space about the long-awaited Samsung S10 phones that would take over from Galaxy note 9. The rumor is that the phone was going to be released with a keystore application that allows it to support Bitcoin and Ethereum. Many people suggested, at the time, that the Samsung S10 T-mobile will be the vehicle that will drive massive adoption for cryptocurrencies. Until now, Samsung denied integrating a cryptocurrency wallet on the S10 phone. The Galaxy S10 price is within the range of typical high-end phones like Apple’s iPhone X and X Max.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Comes With Ethereum Wallet But No Bitcoin Wallet
Recently, during a reveal event, Samsung hinted that the S10 is going to come with a blockchain keystore application that would be used to store top cryptocurrencies. The shocking thing about the report is that the blockchain keystore will not hold Bitcoin. The Samsung Galaxy S10 T-mobile will be officially released tomorrow, March 8. Everyone will be able to confirm which theory is correct. However, some people have already had the privilege of seeing and using the phone. Some of them uploaded reveal videos that showcased some of the key features of the device including the blockchain keystore.
In one of the video demonstrations, the Samsung Galaxy S10 T-mobile came with support for Ethereum but not Bitcoin. You’d think Samsung would want to allow support for the flagship cryptocurrency. Bitcoin isn’t just the highest cryptocurrency per market capitalization and transaction volume. It is the most common cryptocurrency in existence and it has the most regulatory clarity among the top three.
Ethereum (ETH) Price Today – BTC / USD
| Name | Price | 24H % |
|---|---|---|
 | $0.00 | -2.08% |
For now, it’s not clear if the ERC-20 tokens are supported using the Ethereum wallet address. Most cryptocurrency wallet markers prioritize Ethereum because the ERC-20 wallet can be used to store many other cryptocurrencies other than ETH. It’s possible that Bitcoin will eventually be added to the Galaxy S10 blockchain keystore application. On several occasions, smartphone manufacturers have debuted a new product along with a software update. So, it’s not going to be surprising when Samsung does the same thing in the new future.
It’s important to note that there has been a decline in the interest the public have in cryptocurrencies. So, making the phone Bitcoin compatible may not be a priority for Samsung at the moment.
Blockchain Wallets And Android Smartphones
Smartphone manufacturers are beginning to recognize the potential of blockchain technology. This is why Samsung isn’t the only company that wants to explore a blockchain-based wallet. Some others have decided to go all the way and create blockchain-based smartphones that can complete calls, messaging and everything on the blockchain. Pundi X debuted the XPhone which allows users to switch from the blockchain OS to a regular Android OS. Siri labs debuted a blockchain-based smartphone recently.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 T-mobile is going to come with so many features and it would be the new flagship of Samsung’s Galaxy series. The blockchain features will be separated from the regular Android features. The Galaxy S10 price depends on which of the three devices in the series you are interested in purchasing. There have been thousands of pre-orders for the phone already.
It’s only a matter of time until other well-known brands start incorporating blockchain-based features on their mobile devices. This will certainly fuel the adoption of cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology.
What do you think is the reason behind Samsung’s omission of Bitcoin compatibility?
Max writes about blockchain projects and regulation with a special focus on United States and China. He joined Smarterum after years of writing for various media outlets.
