Archived: Mobile contribution from a smartphone (2023 beta)

Archived product announcement: Published on December 8, 2023, this article documents a mobile contribution beta that is no longer available. Hivenet is working on a future version of contribution; check the current contribution status for updates. The Hivenet storage app remains available on supported mobile devices, but it does not currently offer contribution.

At the time, contribution was part of Hivenet's product model and had previously been available through a desktop app.

In December 2023, Hivenet announced a mobile contribution beta. The beta let participants share a limited amount of unused mobile storage and receive credits toward their cloud storage bills.

The experiment explored whether mobile storage could participate in Hivenet's distributed network. It was an early product test, not a description of the current Hivenet infrastructure or storage service.

During the beta, participants could offset part of their cloud storage bill by contributing unused space from a mobile device.

Why Hivenet tested mobile contribution

The beta tested whether idle smartphone storage could support a community-driven network while giving participants a credit toward storage costs. That idea belonged to the 2023 beta and is not a feature of the current mobile app.

How the beta worked

1. Participants could allocate up to 1 GB of unused storage per device through the beta app.
2. The beta was designed to operate in the background and limit its effect on normal smartphone use.
3. Shared storage generated credits that could reduce a participant's Hivenet storage bill during the beta.
4. The beta used Hivenet's then-current data distribution and encryption design.

The test reflected Hivenet's early community-driven approach to cloud storage. Current Hivenet products use the infrastructure described on the Hivenet architecture page.

The sustainability rationale behind the beta

The beta explored whether using existing smartphone capacity could reduce demand for additional hardware. It did not establish that mobile contribution reduced data-center construction or emissions. Current sustainability claims are scoped by product, workload, and methodology on Hivenet's sustainability page.

The mobile contribution beta also reflected the reuse theme of Hivenet's 2023 “Rethink Black Friday” campaign.

Current contribution status

Contribution is temporarily unavailable, including on mobile devices. Hivenet will publish an update on the contribution status page if the feature returns.

FAQ from the 2023 beta

Will sharing storage with Hivenet drain my smartphone’s battery?

During the beta, Hivenet was designed to limit background activity and favor times when a device was charging or idle. This behavior does not describe the current mobile app.

Should I be concerned about Hivenet consuming my phone’s CPU resources?

The beta was designed to limit CPU use and operate mainly during idle periods. This behavior does not describe the current mobile app.

Can Hivenet’s storage sharing affect the lifespan of my phone’s SSD?

The beta was designed to use low-frequency read and write operations. Hivenet no longer makes this device-lifespan claim for a current mobile contribution feature.

How does Hivenet ensure the security of the data I share?

The beta used a fragmented and encrypted data-distribution design. For current product and security information, use Hivenet's maintained architecture and product pages.

Will sharing storage with Hivenet use up my mobile data plan?

During the beta, contribution could use a device's 4G or 5G data connection, so Hivenet recommended Wi-Fi. This behavior does not describe the current mobile app.

Can I adjust or stop sharing my storage with Hivenet at any time?

During the beta, participants could adjust or stop their storage contribution through the app. Contribution controls are not available in the current mobile app.

Will I notice a difference in my phone’s overall functionality?

The beta was designed to be unobtrusive. Hivenet does not present the earlier user-experience claim as evidence about the current mobile app.