Ledger, a French startup, has finally begun shipping its latest device, the Ledger Stax, to customers who pre-ordered it, nearly 18 months after the initial announcement. The first pre-orders will be fulfilled in the coming weeks, while new orders will be available in the summer of 2024.
Ledger has sold over 6 million devices so far and estimates that it secures approximately 20% of the world’s crypto assets. Its platform, Ledger Live, currently supports more than 10,000 coins and tokens on over 70 blockchains, as well as around 200 integrated decentralized applications (dApps).
The new Ledger Stax, a collaboration with Tony Fadell, one of the key designers of the iPod, features an E-Ink display. Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier described the device as groundbreaking in several aspects.
“It is the first secure touchscreen; the first time a touchscreen user interface has been driven by a secure element chip, which is crucial for crypto security,” Gauthier explained in a blog post. “It’s also the first curved E-Ink display ever built, the first display using organic semiconductor materials on plastic substrates rather than silicon materials on glass, and the only screen made at less than 100 degrees.”
E-Ink technology, commonly used in e-book readers like Amazon Kindle and Rakuten Kobo, offers a clear display in daylight while consuming minimal power. Ledger plans to list the Ledger Stax on its website once there is sufficient stock after fulfilling all pre-orders.
The shipment of the Ledger Stax faced delays due to production challenges. The company, targeting the high-end market, initially sold the device for approximately $300 during the pre-order period. Gauthier acknowledged that the integration of the E-Ink display with the Ledger Stax proved more challenging than expected.
Compared to its predecessors, the Ledger Stax boasts a larger display and a touchscreen that directly interacts with the device’s secure element. The new device offers improved user-friendliness compared to the arrow buttons found on the Nano S Plus and Nano X wallets.
According to TechCrunch, while the Nano S Plus exclusively functions with a USB-C cable, “both the Nano X and Stax include a Bluetooth chip.” This allows users to transact from their phones and validate transactions on their hardware wallets without the need for wires.
The production of the Ledger Stax also marks a partnership with consumer electronics manufacturing firm Foxconn. Previously, the company assembled its devices in Vierzon, France, but the Nano S Plus and Nano X will continue to be made there.
This article was originally reported by Enacy Mapakame for Cryptopolitan.
