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Gurgaon-based VVDN Technologies, is the design and manufacturing partner of Embedded Downloads,Ireland, for the BitVault secure smartphone
Blockchain, the highly secure ledger system that fuels many financial transactions today, is now fueling a new generation of highly secure communicators. The cryptography that ensures that blockchain is so safe, has been harnessed by Indian engineers of Gurgaon (NCR)-based VVDN Technologies to develop what is arguably the world's first blockchain-driven smartphone -- called BitVault.
The phone is a product of the Limerick, Ireland-headquartered Embedded Downloads who will shortly market the device worldwide.
To call this a smartphone is misleading: this is no ordinary phone: Yes, it uses an Android operating system and can be used for voice calling, video calling, messaging, and document sharing. But all these functions are secured within a private blockchain network.
Explained Hein Marais, Founder and CEO, Embedded Downloads at the launch on the sidelines of the Indian Mobile Congress in Delhi: "The call is not from a phone number to a phone number but from public-key on the blockchain to another public key on a blockchain. Similarly, a message is not to an email address but from a key to a key. BitVault thus forms its own closed eco-system creating a secure communication environment not accessible to outside devices."
Access to the device itself is via fingerprint recognition, and iris scan that has been secured by what is known as Third Party Independent Multilayer Security (3IMS).
The BitVault phone is mainly intended for those who want to make secure transactions of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and offers its own Bitcoin wallets. However, its security features and closed network may find appeal in defence and security forces.
Because the phone operates within a closed and secure ecosystem, normal mobile apps in Google Play will not work on BitVault and conversely BitVault apps wil not work on normal Android devices.
Specification-wise this is a 5.5 Inch phone running on a , 64 bit 2.0GHz Octa Core Processor, with 4GB RAM and 64GB Flash Storage,13MP rear camera and 8MP front camera. It is rated for 4G LTE, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
From left: Puneet Agarwal and Vivek Bansal, cofounders of VVDN Technologies and with Hein Marais, Founder & CEO, Embedded Downloads, UK at the India launch of BitVault
Says Vivek Bansal, Founder and VP Engineering VVDN Technologies: “We feel proud to be associated with Embedded Downloads in the development of BitVault. The device is designed to answer the needs of government agencies, financial institutions, defence/police, power plants, logistics firms, cyber security companies, and any business or individual who needs a very secure private communication network."
The phone which was developed by a team of 100 engineers divided between Gurgaon and Bengaluru, is being manufactured in India and will be launched globally on October 31. The India price is expected to be around Rs 75,000.
