What does "DAO" stand for: Decentralized Autonomous Organization.
If you are unfamiliar with how DAO governance models work, check this out: https://shapeshift.com/shapeshift-decentralize-airdrop (Read the FOX Super Power: Governance section...also here's a great article from Binance on DAOs.) DAO's exist all over the world of crypto. You may have even interacted with one and didn't know it!
It's important to note that the current products and services that ShapeShift supports are non-custodial. This means you always have access to your private keys (we never store them, EVER). Your funds are always in your control, so if a software or device is ever "outdated" or "out-innovated" you still hold the access to your funds through your seed phrase. That seed phrase can be imported into any other compatible wallet to access your funds.
Currently KeepKey is a center of our hardware wallet products and the beta.shapeshift.com experience. We will continue to support KeepKey in the coming year. Your 12 (or 24) word seed phrase is your access to your funds, so if the device is ever unavailable, your funds are always still accessible through your seed phrase.
The governance model, once in full effect, will make product decisions through voting on proposals. While we can not see the future precisely on what proposals will be voted on, we are confident KeepKey will remain a priority for the current team and even as we transition to a fully decentralized organization. For now you can expect no interruptions with your KeepKey experience and the hope is the experience will get better and better as we continue to decentralize the company. (KeepKey code has always been open source so it's already ahead of the changes we are making.)
The mobile app also provides you with the 12 word seed phrase to access the funds. While there should be no interruptions to your service, you can always rest assured that your funds are accessible by importing your seed phrase to another compatible wallet. However, there are no plans to shift away from continuing to build and improve this wallet experience. As mentioned with KeepKey, it should only get better as we transition into a DAO.
The same goes for beta.shapeshift.com. While beta.shapeshift.com is a platform for wallets to connect and not a wallet itself, it has become a service so many users rely on to check their balances, view their portfolios, trade, and buy crypto. More features are on the way as we move into this next stage of ShapeShift. We expect the experience to only improve.