ChatGPT smartphone could make apps obsolete

OpenAI is reportedly planning an “AI Agent Phone” and working with MediaTek and Qualcomm on processor development. Luxshare is also said to be solely responsible for system design and manufacturing. However, this information is based on industry research by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is best known for his Apple analyses, rather than official announcements.

The concept sounds like more than just a regular smartphone with a preinstalled ChatGPT app. Instead of sending users through many separate apps, an AI agent would understand and carry out tasks directly. Kuo does not provide any concrete examples. However, a user experience in which the smartphone combines several steps would be conceivable. In practice, this could mean that, when handling an appointment request, the AI agent independently links information from the calendar, messages and web search, suggests options and then directly initiates a booking.

Such an AI agent smartphone could change how apps are used and make some of them completely unnecessary. Direct access to booking or calendar apps would hardly be needed anymore. An obvious comparison is the Rabbit R1, the orange AI gadget introduced in 2024 as an app replacement for simple everyday tasks. Even then, the idea was to execute commands through an AI agent rather than through individual apps. The difference: the Rabbit R1 is an additional device alongside the phone. OpenAI’s rumored “AI Agent Phone” could bring this approach to a full-fledged smartphone.

Technically, this would likely require a close combination of on-device AI and cloud AI. Simple tasks could run directly on the device, while more complex requests would be processed via OpenAI’s servers. Kuo names power consumption, memory management and compact base models as important factors for the chip. According to the analyst, specifications and suppliers are expected to be finalized in late 2026 or early 2027, with mass production starting in 2028 at the earliest. As long as there is no official confirmation from OpenAI, however, it remains unclear whether and when such a ChatGPT smartphone could actually come to market.