Before you go any further, I suggest you sit down because the following sentence is going to make you dizzy. For the past two years, an Israeli startup called Sirin Labs has been making a smartphone that’s so expensive, it’ll make you wonder why it costs a fortune — i.e. a whopping $17,000 (or a little over Rs 9 lakhs).
Called Solarin, this Rolls Royce of smartphones is being touted as the most expensive phone in the world and launched in London earlier this week. It will be available for sale from June 30 onwards on the Sirin Labs site and at London’s storied departmental store Harrods. And the first people in line to buy this overpriced gadget are Hollywood heartthrobs Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hardy, reports Forbes.
So why exactly is it so heavily priced? Here’s why:
- It is THE most secure smartphone ever invented. Sirin Labs collaborated with KoolSpan to install chip-to-chip 256-bit AES encryption that is used by some of the world’s most advanced military agencies.
- It is made up of some 2,500 inner components that can tackle any hacking system. The founder of the company, Tal Cohen, said that “cyber attacks are endemic across the globe. This trend is on the increase. Just one attack can severely harm reputations and finances. We are pioneering uncompromising privacy measures to provide customers with the reassurance necessary to handle business-critical information.”
- Solarin has a secret security button at the back of the phone that can be pressed during emergencies. This feature immediately encrypts all calls and messages. (Are you feeling like 007 yet?)
- It has titanium panels for structural strength, reinforced glass to protect the curved display screen as well as the 8 megapixel camera lens, and a technical leather back panel.
- It is an Android 5.1.1 phone and comes with a USB port. Solarin also has three bass speakers with a sound quality that will rival your boombox.
The company reportedly spent a whooping $72 million on the making of the phone. What’s more, a wide range of handsets in different colours and configurations are available for purchase, if you’re so inclined. Check out their website for more information.