Solana Mobile announced that it has discontinued software and security updates for its Saga smartphone, which was launched just two years ago. This move marks the official end of the device’s lifecycle.
“Solana Mobile Saga has reached the end of its support lifecycle. Compatibility with new software or services cannot be guaranteed,” the company says on its website. This means your device will no longer receive updates, making it vulnerable to security risks and potentially rendering your apps inoperable over time.
Customer support will only be available for general inquiries. Solana Institute did not respond to a request for comment.
Announced in May 2023, Saga aimed to bring the Web3 ecosystem closer to everyday users by integrating blockchain technology into the mobile world. The device was promoted as an alternative to Apple and Google’s restrictive app store policies.
However, Saga was only supported for two years, well below mobile industry standards. Apple devices receive software updates for at least five years, while Google phones receive software updates for seven years.
It’s unclear why Solana Mobile is ending support so quickly. The company is still working on its second-generation phone, Solana Seeker, which was announced in August 2024.
Saga is remembered more for its meme coin airdrop than its Web3 integration. The devices were shipped to users with a cryptocurrency wallet pre-installed. In late 2023 and early 2024, several Solana-based memecoin developers airdropped tokens into these wallets for both marketing and user reward purposes.
These tokens were initially worth a few hundred dollars, but during the meme coin craze of 2024, they reached a value that far exceeded the selling price of a mobile phone.
Although official support has ended, unopened Saga devices still fetch high prices online, sometimes up to three times the retail price.
*This is not investment advice.
