Web3 companies are exploring ways to move beyond apps and tokens, experimenting with hardware devices such as mobile phones and consoles to merge crypto with everyday technology.
Gaia Labs, a decentralized AI and Web3 infrastructure company for AI and Web3 infrastructure, announced its upcoming AI smartphones for users in Korea and Hong Kong on Tuesday. Built on Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge hardware, the device runs AI models directly on the phone, allowing users to interact with agents without relying on cloud services.
According to the company, Web3 functions include Onchain Identity Support, preloaded GAIA domains, 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 sought to fuse blockchain with mobile devices.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly-sjgrakrs
Solana Mobile, a subsidiary of Solana Labs, released its second-generation device, Solana Seeker in August, requesting over 150,000 pre-orders and shipments to over 50 countries.
The company's first mobile device, the Saga Phone, was launched in 2023. It features a built-in seed vault and the Solana Dapp store tied to the Bonk Tokens Memecoin Airdrop.
Web3 participants aren't necessarily trying to replace big tech giants in the smartphone industry, such as Apple and Samsung. Emmett Hollyer, general manager of Solana Mobile, said in a blog post tracking the evolution of saga to seekers, their goal is to create a “all-new thing: a mobile ecosystem that puts crypto users and developers first.”
Pioneers within the space include Taiwanese electronics manufacturer HTC. In October 2018, we announced support for Exodus 1, a blockchain-powered Android device with a built-in hardware wallet (“Zion Vault”), and multiple blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
In 2022, Luxury Brand Vertu launched Metavertu, a smartphone with a dual Web2/Web3 platform, Crypto wallet functionality and NFT support.
“The success metric is not market share. A decentralized alternative to large-scale technology AI Monopolys has proven to be technically and economically viable,” Shashank Sripada, co-founder of Gaia, told Cointelegraph.
Related: Investors are targeting “fun first” crypto games as fundraising jumps 94% in July
Web3 Game Consoles for 2025
Alongside the phone, the team behind the major blockchains are also experimenting with handheld gaming devices.
In late 2024, Mysten Labs, the team behind the SUI blockchain, unveiled the Suiplay0x1, built on Playtron. The console combines complete PC gaming with native Web3 features such as Zklogin and Onchain Asset Management.
In August 2025, Solana Mobile announced the Solana Gen 1 (PSG1), a portable console that doubles as a hardware wallet.
Includes Solana Wallet integration, transaction fingerprint security, and Solana's DAPP ecosystem access. Pre-orders were scheduled to open in 2025, with the first unit expected to ship in October.
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