Paolo Ardoino, the Chief Executive Officer of Tether and co-founder of the peer-to-peer platform Holepunch, recently hinted at plans to possibly develop a “Pear Phone” in the future.
In an X post, Ardoino put forward the idea of building an Android-compatible phone based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The device is said to come pre-installed with Holepunch’s suite of peer-to-peer applications, including the encrypted messaging app Keet, other apps built on the Pear Runtime P2P protocol, and the Bitkit Bitcoin wallet developed by Synonym.
“Ultimately we have to build the Pear phone. Android compatible (AOSP), with Keet, Pears apps, and Bitkit wallet pre-installed. The App Store will also be P2P. No Google apps by default.”
Notably, Ardoino suggested that the Pear Phone would not include Google apps by default. He also mentioned plans for a peer-to-peer app store for the device.
The concept builds on Holepunch’s mission to enable serverless, unstoppable P2P applications that advance user privacy and freedom from Big Tech platforms. Holepunch, which is backed by Tether, recently launched Pear Runtime, an open-source protocol that allows developers to build P2P apps without any server infrastructure costs.
Pear Runtime powers Holepunch’s flagship Keet app, which enables fully encrypted video calls and messages directly between devices without central servers. Bitfinex, Hypercore, and Tether teamed up to create Holepunch with the goal of “unlocking global communications and strengthening freedom of expression.”
The Pear Phone concept aligns with Tether’s recent restructuring to expand its focus beyond a stablecoin company. By creating new divisions such as Tether Data, Tether Finance, Tether Power and Tether Edu, the company aims to drive innovation in AI, P2P platforms, financial inclusion, sustainable mining, blockchain education and even biotechnology. This multifaceted approach positions Tether to leverage emerging technologies and shape the future of finance and technology. A potential Pear Phone, powered by P2P apps and Tether’s broader ecosystem, could be a key part of this strategy to empower users and challenge the dominance of Big Tech giants.
While just an idea at this stage, a potential Pear Phone would represent a significant step toward Holepunch and Tether’s vision of a decentralized, user-controlled mobile ecosystem. It remains to be seen if and when the project will become a reality. But Ardoino’s tweet offers an intriguing look at how Tether’s profits and Holepunch’s P2P technology could come together in a freedom-focused smartphone.