Turing Phone

Last updated
Liquidmorphium Turing Phone
Manufacturer Turing Robotic Industries
Compatible networks 4G LTE [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
First released2 April 2016 (2016-04-02)[ citation needed ]
Predecessor Jolla
Dimensions
Operating system
  • Sailfish OS version adopted to security-hardened purposes including Sailfish Secure platform
  • Android OS Devices (announced in 2017 as intended)
CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz quad-core processor [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
Memory12 GB RAM [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
Storage16,64 or 128 GB built-in memory [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
Battery 3000mAh battery
Data inputs Capacitive touchscreen
Microphone
Fingerprint reader [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
Display5.5" full HD (1920 x 1080 px) + Gorilla Glass 4 [1] [ need quotation to verify ]
Rear camera 13-megapixel rear-facing camera
Front camera 8-megapixel selfie snapper
Development statusreleased
Website turingphones.com

Turing Phone is a Sailfish OS and Android OS smartphone by Turing Robotic Industries (TRI) which provides end-to-end encryption for secure communications. The device uses decentralized authentication to encrypt any communications and comes with its master public key and unique private key pre-installed with the phone. When a device is communicating with another Turing Phone, the two devices can directly verify their identity, side-stepping the need to route it via a Key Distribution Center.

At first the device was to run Android 5.0 which was later abandoned in favour of Sailfish OS, an operating system more resistant to attacks and threats, modified and adjusted according to the specifications and the user interface of Turing Phone. [2] The OS licence and cooperation with Jolla enabled the use of Sailfish Secure, a security-hardened version of the platform, developed in collaboration with the Finnish SSH Communications Security, the inventor of the SSH protocol. [2] [ need quotation to verify ] [3] [4] [5]

In 2017 TRI announced their intention to release an Android version besides the Sailfish OS, though, the specifications and the schedule have not been availed.[ citation needed ]

The device body is made of a material called "Liquidmorphium" which is described by the manufacturer as an “unbendable” metal that's stronger than titanium or steel and more resistant to shock and screen breakages. [1] [ need quotation to verify ]

The phone is released in three memory capacity versions, the cheapest one of which costs US$610. A Cnet.com article called the pricing high, but noted that the "phone remains aimed at the well-heeled and security conscious, and not the average consumer". [6] [7] Turing Robotic Industries has announced to have shipped the first batch of Turing Phones on July 12, 2016, as well as the second and third batches to be followed on July 22 and July 29 respectively.[ citation needed ] On February 7, 2018, however, TechCrunch announced that the TRI has filed for a bankruptcy, shutting down its operations in Salo. [8]

Cancellation

Turing Robotic Industries announced in 2015 that they would use liquidmorphium for molding a single unit ultra-durable chassis for their mobile phone. [9] Turing later announced several delays for the product, eventually canceling the entire product. Turing Robotic Industries sent replacement devices to some of the people who had made pre-orders but those phones were told not to be made of liquidmorphium. To date there has not been any actual appliances of the alloy.

Notable is that the alloy itself is only mentioned in publications that are either from Turing Robotic Industries or then using the publications from Turing Robotic Industries as their only source. This means that the properties of the alloy have not been confirmed to live up to the promises.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Błaszak, Konrad. "Turing Phone to super wytrzymały smartfon, który na dodatek będzie super bezpieczny". komorkomania.pl (in Polish). Blomedia.pl sp.z o.o. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 Ghoshal, Abhimanyu (February 3, 2016). "Do you still want the Turing Phone now that it's switched to Sailfish OS?". The Next Web.
  3. ↑ Lomas, Natasha (March 2, 2015). "Jolla Partners To Build Secure Version Of Its Sailfish Mobile OS". TechCrunch. Finnish mobile startup Jolla, which develops the Sailfish mobile OS and its own brand mobile hardware, has just announced it will be partnering to create a “security hardened” version of the platform, called Sailfish Secure.
  4. ↑ Trenholm, Richard (March 2, 2015). "Sailfish Secure wants to be an Android alternative safe from spies' prying eyes". CNET. CBS INTERACTIVE INC. Keeping your communications locked away from prying eyes, Sailfish Secure is a new version of the niche mobile operating system that's designed to bring peace of mind to businesses, government officials, and privacy-minded phone fans. Sailfish developer Jolla has partnered with fellow Finns SSH Communications Security to build the privacy-focused software. It's based on the Jolla's Sailfish OS, bolstered by SSH's communication encryption and key management.
  5. ↑ "Jolla announces plans for 'Sailfish Secure' - the first truly open and secure mobile phone platform" (PDF). Jolla. March 2, 2015. About SSH Communications Security.
  6. ↑ Ralph, Nate. "Turing Phone release date, price and specs". cnet.com. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Heater, Brian (February 7, 2018). "The maker of the Turing Phone files for bankruptcy and suspends manufacturing". TechCrunch.
  8. ↑ "TURING". LinkedIn. Turing Robotic Industries Corp. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
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