German cybersecurity company Sikur, launched a security-oriented smartphone called the SikurPhone. It has an in-built cryptocurrency wallet designed to keep cryptocurrency safe, Mashable Tech reported.
The phone itself is based on a highly customized version of Android 7.0, Sikur's COO Alexandre Vasconcelos said at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
It's not for the common user: It doesn't have access to Google's Play Store, it won't run any apps that haven't been vetted by Sikur, and its interface is far more spartan and corporate-looking than that of the typical, everyday Android.
Sikur said it put its device to the test by hiring professional hackers to attack the device. The company claims the smartphone was subjected to "rigorous hacking tests for two months," but hackers failed to gain access to any information.
"If you lose your phone, we can remotely wipe it for you. You can get a new one, log in, and your funds will be safe, as your private keys are stored in our cloud," Vasconcelos said.
The phone is not just for the crypto-wealthy; in fact, the wallet is just one of many apps available on the platform. Vasconcelos sees it mainly as a tool for corporations and governments, though he thinks there's lots of potential for individual users as well.
"At the end of second quarter of 2018 we will deliver a crypto wallet inside our platform, expanding the wallet use beyond SikurPhone, it means that our customers should be able, through a physical device, to securely store their cryptocoins," Cristiano Lop, Sikur's CEO, told CNBC.
SikurPhone is available for pre-order now on Sikur's website for $799, with an expected August shipping date.