Product Development Update: XPhone Design Journey
The XPhone (codename) has come quite a long way since we launched it last October at the Bali XBlockchain Summit where it also made history by being used to make the world’s first blockchain phone call. Two XPhone users were able to talk to each other without the need of a centralized service provider.
Of course, the XPhone is more than a regular smartphone with blockchain capabilities. It’s an integral part of our Function X ecosystem, serving as nodes for f(x) Chain as well as an entry point to most of our Blockchain Internet’s features. Central to this is how the XPhone will give its users control over how they handle their data, making it a safer and friendlier alternative to today’s smartphones.
Since the first time we tested it out, we’ve made various changes to the XPhone’s design — from how it looks to what features it brings and even to what it’s called. Here, we’ll give you a brief overview of how we’ve updated and improved the XPhone’s design in the past 12 months.
Capturing imaginations: First XPhone prototype
The best place to start is with the design that introduced the XPhone to the world. At the heels of the XBlockchain Summit in Indonesia, the first XPhone prototype was also showcased in Consensus Invest in New York last November as well as in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last January.
The XPhone continued to capture the imaginations of blockchain enthusiasts and skeptics alike in both events; what with it being one of the few concrete use cases of blockchain technology. It even made headlines when our CEO, Zac Cheah, during his speech at Consensus Invest actually booked a cab using the XPhone through a decentralized app. The user and service provider were interacting directly — just like people used to in the not so distant past.
One of the most consistent feedback we got about the original prototype’s design concerned its straight edges. Apparently, this made it more difficult to handle overall. We resolve to fix that in future designs by making the XPhone more rounded so that one can easily slide it in their pockets.
X-On, X-Off: A seamless transition
The next major update to the XPhone prototype debuted at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona last February. The biggest new feature introduced here was the X button, which allows users to seamlessly switch between the Android-powered traditional mode and the Function X-powered blockchain mode, the latter supporting decentralized apps and connecting to our Blockchain Internet.
“A lot of people were surprised at how smooth the switch was between blockchain mode and traditional mode,” said Peko Wan, Pundi X’s VP and head of communications.
Moreover, we released more information about the XPhone’s minimum specifications in MWC 2019. At this time, the XPhone prototype had a 5.65-inch display, a 48-megapixel rear camera with a 12-megapixel front camera, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 CPU, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of ROM, 3,500 mAh for battery life, and a fingerprint sensor.
XPhone craftsmanship: What the future holds
With pre-orders starting very soon, we’re making several changes to the XPhone’s internal and external design based on the helpful feedback we’ve received in these events as well as online. Zac Cheah revealed recently that one change to expect is that the XPhone will have a new product name by launch.
In addition, new XPhone designs are in the works, to be unveiled in the very near future. We can’t reveal too much at this time, but we’re certainly aiming for much more sleek and much more user-friendly.
The bottom line now is craftsmanship. Since it is the first blockchain phone in the world, we want it to be the best it can possibly be for users, right from the start, and yet something we can continuously build upon for UI and UX as well as its universal utility to people everywhere and at all times.
