Mobile Onchain Summit: Providing Infrastructure for Mobile Developers

The web3 ecosystem holds immense potential for transforming user experiences across various platforms, especially mobile. However, realizing this potential requires addressing several technical, developmental, and business challenges. In this blog post, we explore the key insights from a recent panel discussion among web3 experts, highlighting the hurdles and opportunities in the journey toward seamless web3 integration on mobile devices.

Watch the Providing Infrastructure for Mobile Developers panel here.

Developers play a crucial role in shaping user experiences in the web3 space. With the rise of mobile dapps, creativity in ideating new use cases is equally important, especially for the average consumer. This creativity must first be unlocked by having web3 tools and infrastructure readily available for app developers. Only then can app developers have full control over their UX to create the best app experience.

One of the most compelling ideas brought up by Yash from Web3Auth was the concept of a "Universal Profile." This profile would function similarly to a Google account, aggregating user data across different games and ecosystems powered by context-specific data revelation, enabling users to see relevant content based on their current activity, avoiding clutter from unrelated games or applications. 

Human verification remains a pain point for users, with captchas and other verification methods often being intrusive and repetitive. The panel discussed the potential for web3 to provide a universal human verification protocol. Such a solution would streamline the verification process using blockchain technology, making it more user-friendly while maintaining security and authenticity.

The ability to manage an identity is a high-value proposition of the web3 experience. Nick from RallyProtocol highlighted the need for a comprehensive identity management system that focuses on internet identity control, allowing for single or even multiple personas. Such a system would enable users to manage their identities across different platforms securely and efficiently. This "meta account" for web3 could revolutionize how users interact with digital services.

In the realm of identity management, privacy-preserving applications are essential. These applications should allow users to prove identity-related facts, such as age or attendance, without revealing personal details. This balance between functionality and privacy is critical for gaining user trust and widespread adoption.

Pedro from WalletConnect stated that a significant technical hurdle for web3 adoption in mobile applications is the lack of hardware support for specific cryptographic curves used by blockchains. Currently, most hardware supports the p256 curve for passkeys but not the K1 curve used by many blockchains. This limitation is more about policy than technology, as hardware can technically support these curves with minor adjustments. Addressing this issue could open the door to more seamless integration of web3 technologies in mobile apps.

The web3 industry lacks unified advocacy. Establishing strong business development relationships with traditional tech giants like Apple and Samsung is crucial to the success of web3. By helping these companies understand the benefits of supporting web3 technologies, they can realize how it benefits their own ecosystems.

The future of web3 on mobile is filled with exciting possibilities, but it also comes with significant challenges. By addressing technical limitations, fostering strong business development relationships, and innovating in identity management and user experiences, the web3 community can unlock its full potential. Collaboration and advocacy will be key to driving these changes, ultimately creating a more integrated and user-friendly digital ecosystem.

Watch the Providing Infrastructure for Mobile Developers panel here.

RallyProtocol is an all-in-one web3 mobile toolkit that enables developers to create frictionless, end-to-end onchain experiences for native mobile apps. Whether you’re building an iOS or Android app in Flutter, Unity, React Native, Swift, or Kotlin, through instant embedded wallet creation and gasless transactions, our mission is to give developers the power to create user-friendly mobile UX with fewer taps and zero web3 touchpoints. Want to learn more? Dive into our developer documentation here.