South Korean tech behemoth Samsung filed a patent for a blockchain-enabled hard disc. The patent was already published on February 2nd, but it was only uncovered on Tuesday by South Korean tech website Decenter. Blockchain-connectivity supposedly should sync data on the Solid State Drive. This would improve its speed through internet connectivity and increase its life span.
In the patent Samsung mentions the use of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) in their blockchain enabled hard disc. Hardware manufacturers place these in between regular devices and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). Unlike ASICs these FPGAs are re-programmable to a different algorithm.
What Samsung's exact intentions are with the technology, remains to be seen. The company could be implementing crypto mining technology into any device with a SSD hard disc. Another option could be that Samsung's own devices will become nodes in the company's very own blockchain network.
The South Korean electronics manufacturer is very serious about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. The Samsung Galaxy S10 is already one of the biggest supporters of the crypto space, while the company also invested in both hardware and software wallet startups.
In April the rumor hit the internet that Samsung is developing its own blockchain. Supposedly the network would be based on Ethereum. This also means that Samsung is developing its own token, and that other blockchain companies can build services on top of the Samsung ecosystem. Suddenly a blockchain-enabled hard disc makes a lot of sense.
The only devices from Samsung that support crypto or blockchain at the moment are the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10. Samsung sold 16 million units of the Galaxy S10. Therefore it's likely that the company will continue investing in the blockchain space. Especially considering that its main competitors, including Apple, didn't step in yet.
