Sikur launches high-security phones based on Sony hardware
The SikurPhone XZ1 and XA2 will seem a little familiar.
Sikur garnered attention with its reportedly hack-resistant GranitePhone back in 2015, but the follow-up has been a long time in coming -- it only just announced a follow-up in February. The sequels are here, however, and they'll look more than a little familiar. The company has started shipping the SIKURPhone XZ1 and SIKURPhone XA2, both of which run SikurOS (a hardened version of Android) on top of existing Sony hardware. Either device promises "several layers" of security, including a carefully-vetted app store (due to launch by the end of 2018) and a cryptocurrency wallet -- it's just running on branded third-party hardware.
The XZ1 (above), as the name implies, is based on 2017's Xperia XZ1. That nets you a 5.2-inch display, a still speedy Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage, a 19-megapixel rear camera and a 13-megapixel front cam. It may feel slightly outdated next to the XZ3, but you're not buying this for cutting-edge tech. The XA2, in turn is a more budget-friendly option based on the Xperia XA2 (below). That nets you a 5.2-inch display mated with a Snapdragon 630, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 23-megapixel rear shooter and an 8-megapixel selfie cam.
The pricing unsurprisingly carries a premium over the ordinary phones, with the XZ1 selling for $850 and the XA2 going for $650. As before, though, this isn't really meant for someone who'd otherwise be buying an off-the-shelf Xperia (or any other Android phone). This is for businesses, cryptocurrency traders and others who have a vested interest in keeping their phones as secure as possible, even if it means giving up some of the creature comforts of conventional handsets. And if you're not happy with the selection, Sikur hinted that this could lead to its platform coming to other familiar Android devices in the future.
