Remember the Turing Phone, that ultra-secure and ultra-strong smartphone designed by Turing Robotics? Turns out, it’s not dead. In fact, it’s shipping now.
The phone has gone through a number of major changes and delays. It was first slated to be released in December, then April, then May or June, and now it has finally been released in July. Not only that, but the phone was originally supposed to feature Android. Turns out, the device now runs Jolla’s Sailfish OS.
Of course, the phone’s main selling point isn’t its operating system, but rather its secure software, super strong liquid metal build, and unique styling.
“Over the past year, we optimized the Turing Phone to achieve the highest levels of durability ever offered in a mobile device,” said Syl Chao, CEO of Turing Robotics Industries, in an emailed statement. “We experienced more than a few challenges, but we wanted the phone to be perfect, and we’re glad we waited to deliver a product in which we have total confidence.”
The phone is built using TRI Alloy217, a proprietary liquid-metal alloy that is, according to TRI, tougher than aluminum and steel. TRI Alloy2017 is melted at a high temperature and then injected into a mould to create the Turing Phone frame.
When it comes to privacy, the phone uses a security system that was inspired by Alan Turing’s famous cryptography work. The device uses offline cryptography key distribution to verify and authenticate users, essentially meaning that owners of the Turing Phone can communicate with each other without having to worry about eavesdroppers.
As mentioned, the folks at Turing also made the switch to Sailfish OS. Turing was able to work with Jolla to make Sailfish OS a lot more secure. According to Turing, “even with the trust mechanisms we’ve developed, Android presented too much of a risk.”
The concept of the phone is certainly an interesting one, and if it delivers, it could be a unique device. Check back soon for our full review of the Turing Phone.
