On Thursday (May 9), crypto hardware wallet maker Ledger said that its Ledger Nano X hardware wallet, which was originally expected to start shipping in March, has had its production quality issues solved, and that the first batch of Ledger Nano X devices will be shipped on May 15.

Ledger launched on January 6, at CES 2019 (in Las Vegas), the Nano X, which is an improved version of the USB-only Ledger Nano S that adds Bluetooth support, a larger screen, and larger storage space.

For this new product, Ledger has made five enhancements to its most successful product, the highly popular Ledger Nano S cryptocurrency hardware wallet:

  • Bluetooth LE support. The Ledger Nano X is still a USB stick just like the Ledger Nano X, but addition of Bluetooth support and a new mobile version (for both iOS and Android) of its wallet management app, Ledger Live, means that you can send or receive crypto wherever you go (even if you don’t have your computer near you).
  • A slightly larger Organic LED (OLED) screen “so that scrolling addresses will be a thing of the past.”
  • The buttons are “larger and on the sides rather than the top.”
  • Higher storage space for apps (for each type cryptocurrency that you need to store on a Ledger device, you need to install an app that supports that coin/token). Although Ledger says up to 100 apps may be installed on the Ledger Nano X (compared to the up to 18 apps that can be installed on the Ledger Nano S), in practice, the actual number of apps that you will be able to install will depend on the cryptocurrencies that you have since some apps take up more storage space than others. For example, although on the Ledger Nano S you can theoretically store up to 18 apps, many users report that they can only fit apps for four or five of their favorite coins. 
  • A rechargeable built-in battery. This allows the Ledger Nano X, unlike the Ledger Nano S, to function even when it is not connected via a USB cable to a computer or a USB charger.

Pre-order sales started on the day of the launch (i.e. January 6), and Ledger’s website had promised that Ledger Nano X devices would begin shipping in March.

However, on March 21, Ledger announced via a blog post that due to “unexpected production issues that surfaced at the last moment,” it was not able to ship any Ledger Nano X units that month. It also said that it would try to get these devices out to customers as soon as possible, but shipping would be “delayed by at least one month and possibly more.” 

Here is how Ledger explained the reason for the delay: “… after receiving a shipment of materials for the Nano X that we had planned to assemble and ship this week, we had to reject the parts. They did not meet our quality standard. That threw off our whole schedule…”

Naturally, the French company felt “terrible” this delay, and so to “make things right” for its customers, it said that anyone who had pre-ordered a Ledger Nano X before March 21 would receive a free Ledger Nano S. 

The first 10,000 Ledger Nano X units are known as “Genesis Block Edition”. These are the units that, according to Ledger’s most recent blog post, will be shipping on May 15. The rest of the pre-orders “will be shipped the week of the 20th of May, enabling general availability from May 27th.”  

In case you need more information about the Ledger Nano X and the Ledger Nano S so that you can decide if it is worth buying the Ledger Nano X, the following notes might help you:

  • Since your private keys “never leave the secure chip,” Bluetooth transmission “does not expose the Ledger Nano X to any additional security threat.” But if you are still worried that the fact that the Ledger Nano X offers Bluetooth connectivity makes it less safe to use, rest assured that it is possible to deactivate Bluetooth and use this device with the included USB cable.
  • The Ledger Nano X has a non-replaceable 100 mAh battery that should provide five years of service. This battery powers the Nano X for several hours of use (and a few months if the device is idle). The Nano X can be charged by connecting its USB-C port to a USB charger or computer that has a USB-A port.
  • Ledger says that the Nano X has “ten times more available storage space for apps compared to Ledger Nano S.”
  • The Nano X’s display as a resolution of 128×64 pixels vs. 128×32 for the Nano S.
  • “As of today, all cryptocurrency apps that are available on the Ledger Nano S are equally compatible with the Ledger Nano X except for two: QRL and Binance Chain. These two are being worked on and will soon be available, adding to the over 1100 different cryptocurrencies that are already supported on the Ledger Nano X.”

Featured Image Courtesy of Ledger SAS