In the tradition of Vertu phones, another hyper-expensive handset was launched for the top echelons of the world's 1 percent. On Tuesday, Sirin Labs, a startup from a team of tech aficionados from Israel, unveiled the Solarin smartphone, a device which the firm claims offers its users with the best mobile security that the world can offer. The only catch? The device costs a whopping $14,000.

Actually, for American buyers who are interested in getting the phone, the taxes involved in acquiring the device would be so notable that the device's price would shoot up to a fairly ridiculous $16,000. Then again, during the smartphone's reveal, the makers of the Solarin were clear that the smartphone was not for the mainstream market.

The device itself looks and feels quite bulky. While the exterior definitely looks like a premium device, the Solarin weighs a very hefty 250 grams. At more than half a pound, the Solarin is arguably the heaviest flagship device currently being offered.

Internally, the Solarin runs Android 5.1 and is equipped with a rather dated Snapdragon 810 processor, the mobile chip that Samsung infamously skipped due to its tendency to overheat. The device's other specs are more flagship-worthy, though, with 128GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, a very bright 5.5-inch 1440p IPS LCD screen, and a 23.8-megapixel shooter.

Since the Solarin is being touted as a device which offers the best mobile security, the phone is equipped with a series of very unique security features. For one, the device would be shipping with features from third-party mobile security firms such as anti-cyberattack software from Zimperium and chip-to-chip 256-bit AES encryption from KoolSpan. The phone also has a physical security switch on the back plate that activates the phone's extra security functions. Lastly, the Solarin is also set to ship with the latest Android security patches already installed.

While it was unsurprising that reception to the phone's outdated chip and ridiculous price point is largely unsurprising, it is also quite true that there are people in the world who might very well buy the device, such as the ultra-wealthy who value their mobile security over the price of their gadgets, or the demographic who would consider $14,000 a small investment in exchange for peace of mind.

However, the Solarin's release also brings a very pressing issue to mind. After all, with all the device's security features, the Solarin is probably almost impossible to crack. What if the phone gets used by criminals or terrorists? If that happens, then breaking through the phone's security features would be a far messier affair than the Apple-FBI spat just a few months ago.

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