The Galaxy S10 has a possible killer feature that nobody knows about
We know a great deal about what to expect from Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10. But one feature being touted could prove to be a real surprise: it seems Samsung is planning on throwing its weight behind cryptocurrency.
According to SamMobile, Samsung is working on its own cryptocurrency service which “may” be launched with the Galaxy S10. While the “may” in that sentence could be doing a lot of heavy lifting, if it is a planned part of the S10, then it’s a huge deal.
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While dedicated blockchain phones have been and gone without much comment – the HTC Exodus springs to mind – this would be the first time that support for cryptocurrency has been a feature in a mainstream phone that people will likely buy in large numbers. Theoretically, that could be a major shot in the arm for cryptocurrencies which have taken a beating in 2018, after their brief high at the end of last year.
So what support is promised, exactly? SamMobile claims that it will come in two parts. The first will be a cold wallet (a type of crypto storage that’s typically kept offline for stronger security) for the storage, keys and the signing of private keys for transactions. The second part will be a wallet for managing transfers, account information and a transaction history. Although no names have been decided, it’s probably not a coincidence that Samsung recently applied for trademarks on “Blockchain KeyStore”, “Blockchain Key Box” and “Blockchain Core.”
Users will apparently be able to import wallets from other services including Metamask, and TrustWallet, the report reckons, though you’ll also be able to create a new one if you’re uninitiated in the world of cryptocurrency. Supported currencies “may include” Bitcoin, Etherium, ERC20 and Bitcoin Cash.
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The word “may” comes up a lot in this report, so there’s no guarantee that Samsung will launch the app with the Galaxy S10 – it could just be something that users have to download themselves, or it could all come to nothing. But if Samsung is planning on pushing cryptocurrency with the S10, then the number of people keeping an eye on Bitcoin exchange rates could suddenly explode, which could mean more interesting times ahead for the volatile currency.
Would you use Samsung’s own cryptocurrency services? Let us know what you think on Twitter: @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
