The Solana Saga phone gets labeled as too niche. 

A popular YouTuber infers cryptocurrencies are useless. 

Crypto firms require more cooperation to reach mass market appeal. Blockchain firms continue to push hard for mainstream adoption and appeal beyond cryptocurrency, with Solana among the biggest names leading this fight. However, in a blow to the company, popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee steered his over 17 million subscribers away from the flagship Solana phone. Solana Saga Phone Rated Average and NicheBrownlee gave the Solana Saga phone an average review in a recent video. The YouTuber evaluated the offering on two counts: as an Android phone and on its merits as a crypto-based product.Brownlee praised the phone for its “world-class build quality” and “very clean” stock Android software. However, the YouTuber was less than impressed with its mediocre camera setup and average specifications, including a fixed screen refresh rate and 4100 mAh battery, which he thought was a tad underwhelming for the large 6.67-inch screen.  

Moving on to the crypto element, Brownlee explained that the phone incorporated a Solana Mobile Stack (SMS), dedicated seed vault, and access to a second app store for crypto-focussed applications, which made it a “crypto-phone.”

Of the three crypto-dedicated features, Brownlee commented that the enhanced security offered by the seed vault was the only worthwhile crypto feature. Even then, as a Solana-only seed mechanism, the YouTuber mentioned that the market appeal is limited.

Brownlee was equally unenthused by the second app store, explaining that this feature will roll out on other non-crypto phones soon. As for the SMS, Brownlee’s take was similar to the seed vault in that non-Solana users would struggle to find use for it.

“The Solana Mobile Stack is an SDK for apps to connect to the Solana blockchain, which is cool that it’s built-in but the obvious downside is that this does not work with any other blockchain,” Brownlee said.

Brownlee concluded his review of the Solana Saga by saying the phone perfectly embodies cryptocurrency at this time, “at best ahead of its time, but at worst completely useless to most everyday people.” On the Flipside The Solana Spaces Stores in New York and Miami shut down in February.  

The HTC Exodus Cryptophone targets Bitcoin users and features buying, selling, borrowing, lending, and node functionality. Why This MattersThe Solana Saga’s unfavorable review stemmed largely from its niche appeal, underscoring the siloed approach taken by the crypto industry. Fostering mainstream adoption and mass market appeal would require greater cooperation between different blockchains.

Find out more about Solana’s stablecoin partnership with Visa here: Visa Extends Cross-Border Stablecoin Payments Through SolanaRead more on the dominance of cash over Bitcoin in El Salvador:Bitcoin Not King: Salvadorians Still Prefer Cash