Overview & Vision

Blockchain and other decentralised mechanisms are, for the first time, being effectively utilised as part of decentralised solutions with the overall outcome of enabling greater individual (or corporate) operational autonomy and verifiably ‘trustless’ data transfer, with far-reaching implications. Supply chain logistics, data storage, and even the concept of money itself are but a few of the many areas being challenged and disrupted by the possibilities of blockchain and decentralisation.

On a personal level, the possibilities in terms of ensuring verifiable individual autonomy and control over one’s own affairs (such as financial custody and management, identity verification and file storage) is potentially paradigm-shifting, but also presents unforeseen dangers; as technology becomes more pervasive and intertwined with the human experience, it is crucial for the maintaining of meaningful individual autonomy that critical aspects of the human experience become truly and verifiably secure and user-controlled.

One of these aspects is undoubtedly peer-to-peer communication and data transfer, and Sylo are refreshingly and actively aware of the critical value of confidentiality in communication, pursuing a vision to utilise cutting-edge technology to facilitate and protect the fundamental human freedom of private communication.

Sylo are leveraging blockchain as the final foundational piece to their fully decentralised multi-functional communications app and protocol. Their innovative approach to decentralised communication is poised to help deliver a beneficial future of peer-to-peer communication and interaction. Innovation on this front is encouraging to see, especially from a project with such notable experience and a pre-established user base of roughly 18,000 professionals.

Current Industry Situation

Global digital communication is one of the cornerstones of the modern human experience, with individuals spending a staggering amount of time utilising communication and data transfer services as part of their daily routine. However- vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated hacks and attacks, and relying on a trusted third party- current traditional models of operation of such services are riddled with security holes inherent in centralised systems. Traditionally preferred solutions, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and even the favourite of blockchain enthusiasts everywhere, Telegram, are ultimately centralised and user data is constantly at threat of monitoring and abuse.

Furthermore, existing structures fail to effectively encompass all elements of peer-to-peer communication in one central hub. Modern communication has long evolved past simple text-based interaction, now commonly incorporating voice, video, files, other visual forms of interaction and even expanding into the financial realm (money itself is, after all, the language of value). Whilst traditional communications solutions are able to capitalise on a select medium or media of communication, few are yet to effectively incorporate a wide array of these elements into a truly functionally dynamic environment.

An innovative decentralised, developer-friendly communications solution is required to ensure truly secure, all-encompassing communication experience. This is where Sylo is built to shine.

Sylo’s Solution

Sylo is not only a fully decentralised multi-faceted communications network in itself offering various innovative user services, but is also a protocol enabling functionalities to be utilised by third-party dApp developers for use cases far and wide.

Sylo App features, taken from the Sylo website: https://sylo.io/app.html

Sylo App

The Sylo App acts as each user’s personal gateway to the Sylo network, delivering a full suite of Sylo’s native communication functionalities, and beyond. Sylo’s commercial application is already available for download from the App Store and the Google Play Store.

The Sylo Protocol enables the network’s core function of confidential communication and data transfer. P2P connections established via the Sylo Protocol are strictly confidential, and all communications are End to End encrypted. Understanding that the market demands the same, or better, user experience as well as a superior tech framework for meaningful adoption, Sylo have delivered an app with a clean and user-friendly interface packed with rich functionality; not only can users access a suite of fully decentralised communication utilities ranging from voice and video to messaging, but are also presented with an integrated ETH and ERC20 wallet, profile and app management facilities. The App itself is merely the functional gateway into Sylo’s decentralised ecosystem.

Both individual and business users can benefit from the plethora of innovative functionalities on offer- including Sylo’s decentralised storage solution.

Decentralised Storage

In the current online landscape users willingly, and often unknowingly or even without consent of any kind, give up the rights to huge amounts of valuable digital content which they share online and are routinely victims of the actions of unscrupulous actors who have access to this data. Furthermore, when sharing personal data within traditional communications applications it is difficult to effectively keep track of not only what you have shared of your own, but the content from others you wish to save for yourself.

Sylo’s integrated distributed storage mechanism not only provides users with full visibility over the content they have given others permission to use, thus enabling greater individual autonomy over their own personal data, but also acts as an effective central hub of all user-saved content from around the Sylo network, and broader Sylo ecosystem. Connected Applications will themselves be able to utilise Sylo’s decentralised storage facilities for their own functional purposes, in exchange for SYLO tokens.

Connected Applications

A Connected Application is a third-party application which utilises Sylo’s decentralised user communication and/or data storage functionalities. Aside from providing functional benefits, Sylo is building a platform which will promote, integrate, and fairly compensate components which provide real value to the network (even employing the use of Smart Contracts to do so effectively); this approach to intrinsic and transparent collaborative cooperation is refreshing to see in the space.

Connected Applications will be inherently integrated with the possibility to enable charged communications, in whatever specific form desired (for example an expert charging a per-minute fee for phone consultations). Innovative functionalities such as this hold incredible value for application developers and network users in themselves, and when combined with an entire network of interoperable dApps the functional potential of such an ecosystem starts to become clear.

Sylo's in-app Connected Application directory, taken from their whitepaper: https://www.sylo.io/downloads/whitepaper_en.pdf

Ever-Expanding Ecosystem

Connected Applications are critical aspects of bringing Sylo’s decentralised components together into something more than a communications app- creating a dynamic and ever-expanding ecosystem of fully interoperable dApps, centred around enabling greater autonomy through decentralised communications and data transfer.

Team & Company Analysis

Anybody can write an impressive whitepaper and create a persuasive website; the idea is the easy part, it’s implementing the idea which is difficult. In the Wild West of crypto, ensuring that the team has the experience and capability required is crucial.

In the case of Sylo, this aspect is notably solid; Sylo’s venture as a fully decentralised solution is being built on top of strong foundations in the form of their established communications application, developed by a large passionate and experienced team who have already successfully delivered a base product with a user base of close to 18,000 professionals.

Believing strongly that the most beneficial real-world value is the result of meaningful, cooperation and mutual functional benefit, Sylo have partnered with Centrality.ai who will be utilising Sylo’s protocol for the communication aspects of their dApps. Such active integration and partnership forging is key to the success of any project, and it’s impressive so see active third-party implementation of Sylo’s core communications protocol at this early stage.

The next phase of Sylo’s decentralised journey begins with their direct adoption of the blockchain and the generation of their own native SYLO utility token.

Sylo team snapshot, taken from the Sylo website: https://sylo.io/app.html

Token Economy & Utility

The Sylo network will be fuelled by its own ERC20 utility token, SYLO, which will be required to carry out a range of network activities. Sylo will be utilised both by users within the application itself as a means of payment, for making in-app purchases and in order to access Connected Applications, and by Connected Applications themselves primarily to access the protocol (to provide functional utility) and pay referral fees. Broadly, the SYLO utility token is required by the Sylo Protocol itself to facilitate distributed storage, for connection establishment and for real-time charging of communications.

Sylo's token economy flow, taken from their whitepaper: https://www.sylo.io/downloads/whitepaper_en.pdf

Sylo’s token sale is currently live and more token sale information can be found on the Sylo website.

Verdict & Summary

Sylo’s vision of decentralised communication is notably grand on multiple levels; from the perspective of individual autonomy, such a solution is incredibly effective in enabling and protecting a person’s inherent right to free speech and private communication, and from a technical standpoint the fostering a cutting-edge, multifaceted, developer-friendly environment could lead to an ever-expanding horizon of functional possibilities.

Sylo’s core app is not only rich in innovative communication functionality– offering a full suite of features ranging from video calls to messaging and beyond- but by incorporating such features as decentralised storage, account management and an integrated ETH and ERC20 wallet, Sylo have effectively designed their app to be a valuable, user-friendly network hub. The integration of Connected Applications provides the potential to bring Sylo’s decentralised components together into something more than a mere communications app, creating the exciting possibility for the creation of a dynamic and ever-evolving ecosystem of dApps.

Sylo’s approach to decentralised communication is poised to help deliver a beneficial future of peer-to-peer communication and interaction. Innovation on this front is encouraging to see, especially from a project with such notable experience and pre-established user base.

I will be following Sylo closely on their journey to decentralise, and no less than revolutionise, the future of peer-to-peer communications.

Have any questions regarding to Sylo? Join their active community on Telegram where you can discuss anything Sylo-related: https://t.me/sylo_io

Learn more at their website: https://www.sylo.io/

Sylo whitepaper, if you want to dig in deeper: https://www.sylo.io/downloads/whitepaper_en.pdf

Get connected to Sylo on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sylo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sylo.io

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