OpenAI could be making a phone with AI agents replacing apps

Source: TechCrunch

OpenAI’s Hardware Rumors

There have been plenty of rumors about OpenAI’s hardware plans, including the possibility of launching a pair of earbuds. A new note from industry analyst Ming‑Chi Kuo suggests that the AI company might be working on a phone in collaboration with MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Luxshare.

Smartphone Powered by AI Agents

Kuo, known for reporting on Apple hardware, says OpenAI would develop a smartphone chip with MediaTek and Qualcomm, while Luxshare would act as a co‑design and manufacturing partner. The analyst’s note also proposes that, instead of traditional apps, the phone could rely on AI agents to complete various tasks.

Apple and Google currently control the app pipeline and the system access they receive, limiting certain functionalities. By creating its own smartphone and hardware stack, OpenAI could integrate AI into a broader range of features without those restrictions. With ChatGPT approaching a billion weekly users, a hardware product for daily use could help OpenAI reach more consumers.

Industry Context

This thinking isn’t limited to OpenAI. Vibe coding app makers are predicting a future that doesn’t involve apps. Nothing CEO Carl Pei also said at SXSW that apps will eventually go away as AI agents take their place.

Design, Data, and Timeline

Kuo believes OpenAI’s smartphone would be designed to continuously understand users’ context. By offering the phone itself, the company could gain access to more data about user habits than an app could. He also notes that OpenAI would likely use a mix of small on‑device models and cloud models to handle different requests and tasks.

The analyst expects the smartphone’s specifications and component suppliers to be finalized by the end of the year or the first quarter of 2027, with mass production slated to start in 2028.

OpenAI’s Upcoming Hardware Announcement

Earlier this year, OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane said the company is on track to announce its first hardware product in the second half of 2026. Several reports and articles at that time indicated the device could be uniquely designed earbuds.

OpenAI didn’t comment on this story at the time of writing.