Samsung Galaxy S10 has built-in hardware storage to store encrypted private keys

(Source: Samsung)

South Korean smartphone giant Samsung officially launched its long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S10 series of mobile phones today, and Bitcoin investors are waiting with bated breath to know whether the S10 will have an integrated crypto wallet.

Does the Galaxy S10 include a Bitcoin wallet?

Samsung confirmed today that it has integrated "Samsung Knox" into the S10. Knox is a feature that uses hardware security to store private keys for blockchain applications, which may include cryptocurrencies. Developers will be able to use this feature to create hardware wallets through software. Anyone who owns an S10 will basically have a hardware wallet.

“The Galaxy S10 comes with defense-grade Samsung Knox, a hardware-backed secure storage for private keys used for blockchain-powered mobile services.”

However, it is unclear whether the device will come with a full-sized Samsung-developed wallet, as rumored, or will only support private key storage that developers can use to make their own secure Bitcoin wallets.

As previously reported, a leaked photo from a Samsung insider allegedly depicts a Galaxy S10 phone with a native crypto wallet. The prototype device only supports Ethereum storage, but the wallet spy photos also include Bitcoin images.

The Galaxy S10 is said to be powered by the Exynos 9820 chip with PUF technology, which IT expert Han Ho-hyeon said would be an ideal processor for local cryptocurrency wallets.

“Samsung Electronics’ Exynos 9820 mobile phone released last year has already incorporated PUF technology. If the Galaxy S10 adopts a blockchain encrypted wallet, it is very likely that Samsung Electronics will use PUF.”

More specifically, the Exynos 9820’s use of PUF will greatly enhance private key security for standard third-party mobile crypto wallets.

Samsung Crypto Wallet Could Be a Game Changer for the Crypto Industry

Samsung isn’t the first smartphone maker to include built-in Bitcoin functionality in one of its devices. HTC marketed the Exodus 1 as a blockchain phone that it said was “designed for this new internet,” while crypto startup Sirin Labs used funds from its ICO to build the Finney, a phone that comes with a full-sized hardware wallet.

However, Samsung would be the first major company to integrate cryptocurrency support into its flagship device, putting it ahead of competitors and putting pressure on Silicon Valley giants such as Apple and Google to develop features targeting bitcoin users.

By adding support for cryptocurrencies, Samsung is lending a stamp of legitimacy to the Bitcoin industry.