Quick Take: Jambo Phone by Aptos

Introduction

The JamboPhone, a new $99 Web3 smartphone launched through a partnership between Aptos and African tech startup Jambo, aims to expand blockchain accessibility in emerging markets across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The device comes pre-installed with PetraWallet and JamboApp, offering users a comprehensive suite of DeFi services, web3 gaming, education, and social media features. Unlike Solana's innovation-focused phone, JamboPhone targets financial inclusion and crypto adoption in lower-income countries.

First Impressions of JamboPhone

The blockchain smartphone market is making waves again with Aptos and Jambo partnering to launch the Jambophone. A $99 web3 smartphone aiming to reach as many emerging markets as possible, with launches in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America, spanning 40 countries in total.

Aptos is a Layer 1 blockchain platform and Jambo is an African tech startup that operates a phone, a superapp, an app store, and a talent network, all based on the consumer X2Earn approach. They’ve come together and created the Jambophone which was already a pre-built phone but now it's added with the crypto features. The JamboPhone comes pre-equipped with the PetraWallet, which is the main Aptos wallet. The JamboPhone also comes with the JamboApp, which is a super app that offers DeFi services, web3 gaming, education and social media. Being a company based in Africa, they have made their mission to boost financial opportunities and empowerment of lower-income countries.

Many people on twitter are likening this Aptos project to the Solana Saga. While it might be instinctive to put a Jambophone in the same box as Solana’s phones because they’re both crypto based. But, that isn’t really an accurate picture of reality - on the one hand, there’s Solana’s phone that focused more on innovation with the integration of secure seed vault acting as a cold wallet, and a dApp store. And on the other hand, there’s Jambophone that offers a ridiculously cheap phone with the main crypto thing about it being the Petra wallet. What Aptos and Jambo are doing is aiming to penetrate new markets and diversify crypto as a means to financial inclusion of lower income countries and connecting the crypto community together. Comparing the two is futile as they are both taking steps towards the greater goal of expanding and enhancing crypto, both with different approaches and impacts.

There has been no promise of an airdrop from the Aptos team but considering the PetraWallet pre-installed in the phone, many speculate there to be an airdrop especially as the Aptos Airdrop 2.0 has been rumored to happen in March. With the hopes of turning the phone into a profitable investment, many airdrop farmers have hoarded phones ordering multiple pieces. This has led to the phone being sold out almost instantly after the announcement by Aptos, leaving many with FOMO and hope that it will get restocked soon.

Overall, the crypto community is pretty long on the Jambophone. If you ask me, worst case scenario is you end up with a decent phone.

*Disclosure: Aptos is an investor in Beluga