Ethereum’s smart contract support and wide adoption has made it a popular proving ground for ambitious decentralised applications.

One of the most interesting consumer applications to emerge from this environment is Status, a decentralised messaging platform and mobile interface.

The platform aims to communicate directly with the Ethereum blockchain, allowing users to access decentralised applications and transfer cryptocurrency from their smartphone.

Technical details

The Status framework is built on the Ethereum blockchain through the use of smart contracts, and the Status Messenger client interacts with this network.

Making Ethereum’s systems more accessible to the average user is part of the platform’s goal – and it hopes to achieve this by developing an application with a user-friendly interface.

Using the Status mobile app, consumers can send, receive, and store Ethereum, and use decentralised applications (dApps) on their smartphones.

The application includes a directory of linked dApps, including services like Ethlance, Gnosis, Oasis Exchange, and Aragon.

Users can also purchase Status Network Tokens (SNT) to access more powerful features of the application.

SNT tokens are built on the Ethereum blockchain and were generated in Status’s initial coin offering last year.

Mobile app

The Status mobile application is currently in alpha and prospective testers can sign up on the Status website.

There is not much functionality enabled within the app at the moment, but it does allow users to send and receive Ethereum, and chat with other Status users.

The Status app supports group chats and the sending and receiving of files using Swarm – a peer-to-peer file sharing system built on Ethereum.

Users can also seamlessly access decentralised services such as Ethlance, which previously required the use of Metamask in a desktop browser (or the running of an Ethereum node).

The Status alpha trial is currently running on the Ropsten Testnet, which is a clone of Ethereum used for testing purposes.

SNT and Beta

The Status Network Tokens issued as part of the company’s ICO – where it raised over $100 million – will ultimately be used across almost all functions of the Status mobile app.

Certain Status features which will require the user to pay a small amount of SNT are listed below.

Decentralised push notifications

Ethereum Name Service registration

Reputation verification

Token-based group chats

Tribute-to-talk

Content curation

Currency exchange

dApp registration

By purchasing SNT, users also become involved with the governance of the Status system and have a say in the development of the product.

The next step for Status is a beta trial during Q1 2018, which will include additional core features like support for the ERC20 token standard and Swarm.

Status is also developing a desktop client, which can aid its application in becoming a social network platform for the Internet’s next generation.