It seems smartphones in the coming years will not require apps and will do almost every big task on your behalf. According to a new report,Sam Altman’s OpenAI is working on a new kind of smartphone that could completely change how we use our devices. Former Apple design chief Jony Ive is also working closely with the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT to create new AI-first devices.
According to popular tipster and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, OpenAI is planning an AI agent phone that focuses on getting things done rather than making users jump between multiple apps. This means instead of opening different apps for every task, the phone itself will understand what you need and complete it for you.
“OpenAI is working with MediaTek and Qualcomm to develop smartphone processors, with Luxshare as the exclusive system co-design and manufacturing partner. Mass production is expected in 2028,” Kuo wrote on Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (previously called Twitter).
Currently, we use smartphones by switching between apps WhatsApp for chatting, maps for navigation apps for booking and so on. But OpenAI’s vision is different. The company believes users don’t really care about apps — they just want results.
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This is where AI agents come in. These are smart systems that understand your context, behaviour and needs in real time. The phone will act more like a personal assistant rather than just a device with apps.
The report claims that the mass production of this phone is likely around 2028 which means the project is still in early stages but moving seriously.
Why OpenAI Wants To Build A phone
According to Kuo, there are a few key reasons behind this move. First, controlling both hardware and software will allow OpenAI to deliver a seamless AI experience.
Right now, AI runs on top of existing platforms like Android and iOS which limits full control.
Second, handsets are the only devices that constantly track real-time user activity — location, usage patterns, preferences. This data is extremely important for AI agents to work properly.
Third, phones are still the most widely used devices globally. So instead of building a new category, OpenAI is upgrading something people already use every day.
“The phone needs to continuously understand the user’s context. Power consumption, memory hierarchy management, and basic small-model execution will be key processor design considerations. More complex or compute-intensive tasks will be handled by cloud AI,” Kuo wrote.
This means OpenAI phone is expected to combine on-device AI and cloud processing. Basic tasks and real-time understanding will happen directly on the device to save power and improve speed. More complex tasks will be handled in the cloud.
If it is really true, the way we use smartphones could change completely. Instead of tapping through apps, users may simply tell the phone what they want and the device will handle everything in the background.
For example, instead of opening multiple apps to plan a trip, you could just say: ‘Order Hakka Noodles from best Chinese restaurant near me from Zomato and the phone will take care of bookings and other stuff.
