Finney is the ultra-secure phone made for anxious cryptocurrency owners

Smartphones that promise hyper levels of security aren’t as atypical as you might think, but one with blockchain capabilities built into it? That’s a little niche, even for tech-forward folks. 

Israeli mobile cybersecurity start-up Sirin Labs has a solution for cryptocurrency believers who are paranoid about getting their phone hacked. Following up on their previous product Solarin — a US$14,000 (S$19,444) ultra-secure smartphone that strangely didn’t catch on — the company has since launched the Finney. 

Touted as the “world’s first ultra-secure blockchain smartphone”, it comes with a much lower cost (S$1,899) along with all the bells and whistles both inside and out to warrant that premium price tag. 

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Of all places, Sirin Labs has made Courts the exclusive retailer for its Finney phones — specifically its new outlet in Funan Mall as well as the Courts online store. A strange place for a highly-niche device to be at, considering that the stores attract young homeowners and families instead of Bitcoin bros. Courts Singapore’s merchandising director Jasmine Seow, however, believes that it’s a “natural fit”. 

“We are pleased to unveil the Finney smartphone in Singapore — a natural fit for Courts Funan, our first (Internet of Things) store offering the latest smart devices,” says Seow. 

“Together with Sirin Labs, we are breaking new ground on making pioneering technologies accessible to tech-forward Singaporeans. Crypto enthusiasts and curious consumers can learn how to easily transfer cryptocurrencies between Finney live demo units at Courts Funan’s experiential space.” 

Sirin Labs probably knows that it won’t be converting casuals to purchase its phone. Instead, it’s attempting to corner the (lucrative?) market of crypto-holders who’re looking for something a lot more secure than mainstream iPhones and Galaxy flagships. 

The great hack

The key component that guards the Finney from external attacks is Sirin Lab’s proprietary operating system called Sirin OS, a Google-certified modification of Android. Wired into the system is a machine learning-based cybersecurity suite that protects the phone’s hardware and software from cyber threats such as unsecured network hacks, malware and data theft. 

A demo carried out yesterday during the product launch event at Courts Funan proved that the Finney is well equipped to prevent a phishing attack over a duped network — which we’d have to take at face value considering the orchestrated hack was done in a controlled environment with a basic hacking device used: an ancient-looking tablet.

Doubling down on the security factor is Finney’s pre-loaded software such as encrypted email service ProtonMail and secure calling and text messaging app TrustCall (which requires a subscription to use). Bonus points for an App Lock feature that blocks others from accessing any apps you don’t want them to peruse.

Blockchain blues

And then there’s the cryptocurrency aspect of the Finney, a phone that’s designed to make the crypto experience more accessible, seamless and secure to Singaporeans.

“With Finney, we address the two greatest barriers to adoption — lack of security and poor user experience — by delivering a product that gives consumers the confidence that their data is safe in the digital world, and a user-friendly interface that is fitting for both new and existing crypto enthusiasts,” said Moshe Hogeg, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sirin Labs.

It might not sound appealing to anyone who can’t and won’t comprehend a single thing about blockchain technology and decentralisation, but the phone might have the potential in attracting the crypto-curious. The phone has something called the Finney Wallet, a digital wallet of sorts that is considered “cold” thanks to it being a separate hardware device that can only be activated and accessed through a secondary slide-out screen. Slide the two-inch touch panel down and it’ll be securely disconnected from the internet, safe from potential hacking. 

The sliding screen is where your cryptocurrency wallet lives, and the Finney can be where you load your Bitcoins and Ethereums. To avoid confusing yourself with multiple altcoin exchanges, folks looking to dive into the world can use Finney’s in-built Token Conversion Service, which converts the currency of your choosing through frequently-updated exchange rates. 

Sending and receiving currency looks like an easy task too, with QR codes and address strings to copy and paste in text messages. Interestingly enough, the high-tech Kopitiam at Funan mall accepts cryptocurrencies as payment, and Sirin Labs demonstrated how the Finney purchased a packet of roast pork rice using Bitcoin. Ah, modern life.

Finney’s not for the finicky

Specs-wise, it’s pretty much a standard 2019 glass-and-metal handset with a design reminiscent of those old Vertu phones. Do rich folks like their phones aerodynamic like their sports cars? The theory still stands. 

There’s a fingerprint sensor, there’s a USB-C port for charging, an okay camera system (12MP with f/1.8 lens at the back, 8MP with f/2.2 lens in front), a decent 3,280mAh battery (no wireless charging)… you know what? If you’re looking to get into the weeds about Finney’s other technical specs, the phone’s won’t be your kind of thing.

The main draw was always about its tight security and cryptocurrency capabilities — if neither mean that much to you, then honestly you’re better off with any other mobile device. 

ilyas@asiaone.com