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Decentralized Ethereum scaling platform Polygon is partnering with phone manufacturer Nothing to integrate Web3 technology. Polygon announced the partnership with Nothing, revealing that it is bringing its tech into the Nothing Phone (1). The first phase of this collaboration, announced on Twitter this week, will be a Black Dot NFT, used to crowd-fund the phone's July 12 launch. The NFTs will also bestow additional benefits to owners, including early access to new products. Initially, the partnership will be an NFT membership club, with Polygon NFTs provided to people who helped crowdfund Nothing's launch, as well as those who pre-ordered the Nothing Phone (1). Nothing's Black Dot NFTs, as they're called, provide potential benefits to holders, such as early access to products or entries to events.
According to Arjun Kalsy, Polygon's Vice President of Growth, their initial plan is to provide the Android-based smartphone with quick access to Polygon-platform apps and games, and Polygon ID, a user identity solution that utilizes zero-knowledge proofs.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Solana said it is developing its own blockchain phone called Saga, which will feature a Web3 dapp (decentralized app) store Solana Pay to facilitate on-chain payments and a vault for storing private keys.
Polygon's and Solana's work marks a resurrection of efforts to develop a blockchain-native phone. In 2018, Sirin Labs attempted to do the same, but its plans failed to gain traction resulting in layoffs and a lawsuit for unpaid factory bills.
In addition to apps and games on the Polygon platform, Nothing Phone (1) users will be able to access the network's payments and future features, such as a proof-based identification solution, Polygon ID, etc. Polygon revealed that the end goal is to make all of Nothing's phone products and other ecosystem devices "future-ready" by backing sustainable and secure access to Web 3 apps.
Web3 smartphones seem like the logical evolution for both communications tech companies and blockchain platforms. The average American reportedly spends just under three hours a day on their phone. So if there's one way to reach a new audience, going through their smartphones seems like a good idea.
Kalsy talked about the need to help users take back control in a decentralized world. He explained that users need to log in with either a Google ID or an Apple ID, before accessing an Android or Apple phone. The executive added that "to an extent, Apple or Google owns the customer, right? That is where the value comes from."
Solana is also working on bringing crypto and NFTs to a larger audience by making Web3 easier on smartphones. Unlike Polygon, Solana is manufacturing its own smartphone. Kalsy noted his preference for partnering with a phone company, allowing each alliance to focus on its expertise.
"The Polygon partnership will take Nothing's Web3 plans a step further. Going forward, the company also plans to make its phone category and other ecosystem devices future-ready by enabling sustainable and secure access to Web3," Nothing said in an announcement.
"With Nothing Community Dots, we're using Web3 technologies to create more meaningful connections with our community By partnering with Polygon, a leader in blockchain innovation, we're delivering an accessible, and importantly, a more sustainable Web3 experience," said Carl Pei, CEO and Co-founder of Nothing.
Polygon, formerly known as Matic network, is a popular Ethereum layer 2 scaling solution founded by Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, Anurag Arjun, and Mihailo Bjelic in 2017. Polygon was built to mitigate key issues associated with Ethereum – high gas fees and network bottlenecks.
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