Web3 Companies Innovate with Blockchain-Powered Hardware Devices

Web3 companies turn to hardware with crypto-powered phones, consoles

Gaia Labs' AI smartphone and Solana's latest devices highlight a renewed push to merge blockchain features in consumer tech. Web3 companies are exploring ways to move beyond apps and tokens, experimenting with hardware devices like phones and consoles that merge crypto functions with everyday tech. Gaia Labs, a decentralized AI and Web3 infrastructure company, on Tuesday announced its upcoming AI smartphone for users in South Korea and Hong Kong. Built on Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge hardware, the device runs AI models directly on the phone, letting users interact with agents without relying on cloud services. According to the company, Web3 functions include onchain identity support, a pre-loaded Gaia domain, and tools for deploying custom AI agents. Gaia joins a small group of blockchain ventures experimenting with physical devices. Over the past few years, several projects have tried fusing blockchain with mobile devices. Solana Mobile, a subsidiary of Solana Labs, released in August its second-generation device, the Solana Seeker, claiming over 150,000 pre-orders and shipping to more than 50 countries. The company's first mobile device, the Saga phone, was launched in 2023, featuring a built-in Seed Vault and Solana DApp store tied to the BONK tokens memecoin airdrop. Web3 entrants aren't necessarily trying to replace big tech giants in the smartphone industry, such as Apple and Samsung. In a blog post tracing the evolution from the Saga to the Seeker, Emmett Hollyer, general manager of Solana Mobile, said their goal is to create "something entirely new: a mobile ecosystem that puts crypto users and developers first." Pioneers in the space include Taiwanese electronics maker HTC. In October 2018, it announced the pre-sale the Exodus 1, a blockchain-powered Android device featuring a built-in hardware wallet ("Zion Vault") and support for multiple blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. In 2022, luxury brand Vertu launched the Metavertu, a smartphone with a dual Web2/Web3 platform, crypto wallet features, and NFT support. "The success metric isn't market share, it's proving that decentralized alternatives to Big Tech AI monopolies are technically and economically viable," Shashank Sripada, co-founder of Gaia, told Cointelegraph. Related: Investors target 'fun-first' crypto games as funding jumps 94% in July Alongside phones, teams behind major blockchains have also experimented with handheld gaming devices. In late 2024, Mysten Labs, the team behind the Sui blockchain, unveiled the SuiPlay0X1, built with Playtron. The console combines full PC gaming with native Web3 features like zkLogin and onchain asset management. In August 2025, Solana Mobile announced the Play Solana Gen 1 (PSG1), a portable console that doubles as a hardware wallet. It includes Solana wallet integration, transaction fingerprint security, and Solana's DApp ecosystem access. Pre-orders opened in 2025, with the first units set to ship in October.

Web3 Companies Develop Devices to Add Blockchain to Consumers' Daily Lives | PYMNTS.com

The latest example comes from Gaia Labs, which said Tuesday (Sept. 2) that it is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) smartphone for users in South Korea and Hong Kong, Cointelegraph reported Tuesday. Gaia Labs is a decentralized AI and Web3 infrastructure firm, and its smartphone will run AI models without the need for cloud services as well as providing onchain identity support and a pre-loaded Gaia domain, according to the report. An early example of this trend dates back to 2018, when Taiwanese electronics maker HTC announced a blockchain-powered Android device called Exodus 1 that included a hardware wallet and support for multiple blockchains, the report said. Other examples include Solana Labs subsidiary Solana Mobile releasing its second-generation mobile device in August after releasing the first one in 2023; luxury brand Vertu launching a smartphone called Metavertu that includes a dual Web2/Web3 platform in 2022; Sui blockchain creator Mysten Labs partnering with Playtron to release a handheld gaming device called SuiPlay0X1 that also includes native Web3 features in late 2024; and Solana Mobile announcing a portable gaming console called Play Solana Gen 1 (PSG1) that includes a hardware wallet in August. On the website announcing the launch of its PSG1, Solana Mobile said the device is a "gateway to the Web3 gaming revolution" that not only lets users play but also enables them to earn in a fully tokenized economy. "With a built-in hardware wallet, PSG1 provides a trustworthy seed vault, facilitating access to your tokens, NFTs and rewards while playing," the site said. "Focus on gaming; let the secure wallet management and abstraction for us!" In a Tuesday press release announcing the launch of its phone, Gaia said the device will enable users to immediately participate in the decentralized AI economy. "Additional major partnerships with leading Web3 and gaming projects will be announced in the coming weeks," the release said. PYMNTS reported in October that blockchain technology is being adopted in mainstream industries and has developed global appeal by transcending borders and facilitating decentralized, transparent and efficient processes.