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The Solana Saga phone, developed in partnership with hardware startup OSOM, likely cost **$15–$45 million total** (R&D, software, and manufacturing) to create and ship. Hardware R&D (Snapdragon chip, crypto-specific security features) and custom Android/Solana blockchain integration drove upfront costs, with manufacturing for ~20,000 units adding ~**$12–$20 million**. Solana subsidized the project as a loss-leader, pricing the phone at $1,000 (later slashed to $599) despite per-unit costs of $600–$800, absorbing losses to boost ecosystem adoption. Incentives like Bonk token airdrops and exclusive dApp access added millions in hidden costs. While exact terms with OSOM remain private, the project prioritized Solana’s mobile ecosystem growth over profitability, mirroring strategies like Amazon’s early Kindle. Total losses likely exceeded **$20–40 million** after discounts and unsold inventory. @fucory 0 reply
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