We probably need to define the product category we're discussing. I was listing devices which prevent casual interception, and which Joe Average might conceivably buy. The Starium is obviously more robust than that, and consequently more expensive.
Right, exactly. When Starium was first announced, people were excited because it sounded like we were going to get industrial-strength stuff at consumer prices. That isn't reality, and now they are going to sell industrial-strength stuff at industrial prices. There's no way a complicated all-digital public key crypto device can compete on price with made-in-China analog scramblers, which are basically toys. That is not a smart fight to pick because the consumer who is just playing around doesn't know the difference under the hood. I'm glad they did the smart thing on this.
You asked in a previous message about the market size. For casual stuff, tens or hundreds of thousands in the US, if the device is in the $100 range. For the serious stuff, I think you nailed the market pretty well. One or two orders of magnitude less, if the device is in the $1000 range. Those numbers both assume no government interference, of course.
Sounds reasonable to me. I hope they do well, but I'm not giving them money until the devices are actually shipping. I think they do have a good chance because law enforcement and private security demand for these things might be pretty good these days.