OpenAI is reportedly working on a smartphone with AI agents replacing apps, developed with MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Luxshare

TechCrunch AI · April 27, 2026

AI Summary

•Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that OpenAI plans to develop a smartphone chip in collaboration with MediaTek and Qualcomm, with Luxshare as a co-design and manufacturing partner. Smartphone specifications and component suppliers are expected to be finalized by year-end or first quarter of 2027, with mass production expected to start in 2028.
•Instead of traditional apps, the smartphone would rely on AI agents (autonomous software that completes tasks without app constraints) to handle different functions. Kuo suggests the design would use a mixture of small on-device models and cloud models to process different types of requests and tasks.
•OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane stated in early 2026 that the company is on track to announce its first hardware product in the second half of 2026, though earlier reports indicated that device could be earbuds rather than a phone.

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