In August 2023, a forward-thinking Delaware-based project, the Freedom Factory, marked a significant breakthrough in decentralised technologies by introducing ethOS, an open-source mobile operating system designed specifically to meet the requirements of the Web3 ecosystem. This initiative also includes the launch of the Ethereum Phone, a smartphone based on the Google Pixel 7a but modified to enhance its security, which presents itself as an ideal platform for the new OS.
EthOS aims to replicate the decentralisation characteristic of the Ethereum blockchain. It offers an environment where new economies and experiences can be explored through innovative applications, the use of ERC-20 tokens and NFT management. The operating system is designed to be compatible with certain models of Google Pixel smartphones, offering users a seamless transition to more secure and decentralised blockchain technologies.
The introduction of the Ethereum Phone was an instant success at its initial launch. Pre-orders for the first 50 phones flew out the door in less than 24 hours on 22 August 2023. To reserve a device, customers had to acquire specific NFTs, valued at ETH 0.39, equivalent to around €610.
On 16 April 2024, the ethOS team announced the launch of the ethOS Phone. To get this phone, users need to mint an NFT on the Base network, which they can then destroy to receive the physical phone. "You can mine your ethOS NFT today on Base, then burn it when you want to trade in your physical ethOS phone and send it straight home," the team announced. This NFT costs ETH 0.22, which is just over €600 at the current exchange rate.
In practice, the ethOS Phone is none other than a Pixel 7a equipped with the ethOS operating system pre-installed, sold at a much higher price than the market price for a new Pixel 7a, which varies between €320 and €400. Installing ethOS on the device represents an additional cost of around €200. However, since ethOS is open source, users can buy a Pixel 7a and install the operating system themselves free of charge. On social network X, ethOS also mentioned that users receive an exclusive NFT when they destroy the original NFT to obtain the ethOS Phone, adding a speculative dimension to the purchase.
