HTC to Increase Focus on Blockchain Phones, AI After New Staff Cuts

This will be the third round of job cuts staff at the phone manufacturer have faced in the past five years.

First unveiled in May 2018, HTC's EXODUS phones can connect to decentralized networks and allow users to download and run decentralized applications in much the same way as conventional apps run on smartphones.

The phone also doubles up as a hardware wallet, providing owners with a secure and mobile means to hold their cryptocurrencies.

HTC's latest blockchain-powered phone, unveiled this October, can run a full bitcoin node.

Future plans include adding support for Binance Chain, with a new special edition of the phone.

The EXODUS isn't the only blockchain phone on the market.

Sirin Labs also began shipping its own blockchain phone, the Finney, at the end of 2018.

More generally, competition in the smartphone space, from established rivals like Samsung and Apple, as well as new entrants like Google, has hit HTC's market share and may have placed the company under substantial financial pressure.

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