With concerns over smartphone security ever increasing, it seems there’s certainly a gap in the market for a security conscious device. In the wake of the recent court case which tried to make Apple unlock an iPhone for the FBI, people are becoming increasingly unsure of how safe the information stored on their handsets really is.
A British-Israeli startup called Sirin Labs AG, hopes to change all this with the release of a smartphone which is currently known internally as SP1. The SP1 will be a luxury device with a high end price tag to match, boasting technology that’s 2-3 years ahead of current mass market models, it promises to be something special and not to mention, secure!
The luxury handset market currently only makes up around $1.2bn of mobile phone sales, which is a small slice of a very big pie. Those luxury handsets however, go for big bucks. Probably the most prominent luxury mobile manufacturer is Vertu, a British company, who’s handsets sell for anywhere between $10,000 and $300,000.
The biggest selling point of this device will undoubtedly be the emphasis on security. While very few details have been released about the handset, we do know that it will pack high-end features alongside the high tech security to provide peace of mind to its users. The phone is expected to be popular amongst executives in Europe and the USA and should go on sale in the next couple of months. A store is rumoured to be opening in London’s exclusive Mayfair in May which coincides with the information surrounding a release within two months.
The idea for this premium, security conscious device reportedly came about when one of the backers, Rakishev’s phone was hacked back in 2013. He is said to have asked founder Moshe Hogeg why there weren’t mobiles on the market that could ensure privacy, and why the technology shown in technology publications and tech shows wasn’t available in devices across the market at the time it was shown. I guess the rest as they say is history.
While the handset is based on a modified version of Google’s popular Android operating system Hogeg says, the smartphone “brings the most advances technology available – even if it is not commercially available – and combining it with almost military grade security.”
Sirin Labs AG raised $72 million in private funds to launch the new handset which will sell for around $20,000 apparently. While the price may seem eye watering to some, it’s a small price to pay for those that value their privacy and security. A hack could after all, potentially cost far more. We wait with bated breath to get the full specs on this already impressive sounding device.