Litecoin users with iOS devices finally have a server-free SPV wallet to call their own, with the release of LoafWallet on the App Store.
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Although Android users have used the standard Litecoin Wallet app for years, there has never been a widely-used mobile option for iOS. Hive wallet supported LTC sending and receiving, but required central servers.
LoafWallet is based on the popular Bread Wallet for bitcoin, made by developer Aaron Voisine. It is designed to be simple and lightweight, and the code is open source. An Android version is also on the way.
Loshan T, Lead Developer of the Litecoin Association development team, told Bitcoinist the new wallet represents a previously missing piece in Litecoin’s consumer infrastructure that could give Litecoin a greater place in its users’ daily life.
“The community and developers felt we were missing a critical market — mobile would allow more and more users to easily send and receive Litecoin,” Loshan said. “Most people don’t carry around iMacs everywhere. It also allows merchants at retail stores to accept Litecoin, which in the long-term could lead to widespread adoption of the cryptocurrency.”
HD, No Central Servers
LoafWallet is a HD, SPV (single payment verfication) wallet, meaning it synchronizes with nodes that verify the blockchain. This avoids having to download the entire blockchain, while also avoiding the need for accounts, logins and central servers.
All private key data is generated and kept locally on the device, and can be recovered if the device is lost or broken.
It uses AES hardware encryption and app sandboxing as well as keychain and code signatures, to protect users’ litecoins from malware and browser flaws.
Development Team
The wallet’s development was overseen by Loshan T, Lead Developer of the Litecoin Association development team, who also implemented the changes and transitioned the code to Apple’s XCode.
Franklyn Richards (MLPFrank) worked on the UI/UX side, which included redesigning the user interface from the initial launch tutorial to the menus, some of which are coming soon. Core developer Adrian Gallagher (thrasher-au) helped implement some Litecoin-specific parameters. Other team members are listed on the project’s GitHub page.
Part of the Litecoin Renaissance
Releasing HD wallets for Litecoin is a key feature of the Litecoin Association’s recently-released roadmap document, designed to show a way forward and breathe new life into the currency.
According to Loshan, releasing the roadmap last month has raised more interest in Litecoin and reminded everyone it is still going strong into the future.
“Many were uncertain about the future of Litecoin, and the roadmap built a clear foundation of objectives,” he said. “Overall it has seemed to rebuild confidence in most users.”
“Since the release of the roadmap,” Loshan continued, “the /r/Litecoin subreddit has also seen increased user views, which seems to indicate an uptick in interest in LTC.”
A long-standing number two to Bitcoin in terms of market cap and overall awareness, Litecoin has recently slipped to 4th-5th place in cryptocurrency rankings, as projects with more compelling use-cases like Ethereum and Steem soaked up attention and saw their respective values rise.
Its total cap is still over $185 million, though, and the currency is a favorite on Chinese exchanges where it is actively traded.
Are you planning to try out LoafWallet? Do you think it will bring Litecoin into everyday life?
Images courtesy of BTC Keychain via Flickr.
