Don't touch the apps: here's the first AI agentic smartphone that could change it all

Are we on the brink of another technological revolution? Maybe. A certain company already builds the world's first-ever AI agentic smartphone, the StepX Neo.

In the end, this could turn out to be a gimmick, but it's a curious project.

Use the chatbot instead

The AI startup StepFun (originally from China), founded in 2023 by former Microsoft employees, has introduced the StepX Neo, a device the company describes as the world's first mass-market agentic AI phone.

And here's the difference – traditional AI assistants on our beloved Galaxy and iPhone handsets typically respond to one request at a time. The StepX Neo is designed to complete multi-step tasks across different apps and services from a single natural-language prompt.

How?

At the center of the device is Step Amoo, StepFun's AI assistant, which runs on the company's custom operating system, called Step AOS (not OS but AOS).

For many core functions, the assistant can operate entirely on the device without requiring a constant internet connection. Users can interact with it much like they would with a chatbot, asking it to carry out more complex requests instead of manually switching between multiple apps.

According to StepFun, the AI agent can combine actions across applications, online services and the phone's built-in tools to complete an entire task. The system also learns from previous interactions, allowing it to adapt to user preferences over time. For example, if you take your dog everywhere, the bot could start looking for pet-friendly restaurants the next time you ask it to make a reservation.

Translation capabilities

The phone could be a hit among frequent travelers. The StepX Neo is claimed to be able to translate face-to-face conversations, text messages, phone calls and text captured by the camera, such as street signs, menus, or museum displays, in 32 languages and regional dialects.

It can also provide access to saved itineraries, transit schedules and local information when cellular coverage is unavailable. StepFun says the assistant can further automate travel-related tasks such as filling out customs forms, checking visa requirements and reminding users when it's time to check in for a flight.

I'd personally suggest not trusting completely any chatbot when dealing with customs and visa requirements. The "But my AI phone told me to do so!" type of excuse won't be enough. Bob's your uncle.

AI done the right way?

Rather than building its AI features as another Android app, StepFun says it developed Step AOS specifically around AI agents. The system organizes the phone's capabilities (communication, apps, files, and system functions) into a framework that allows the assistant to combine them as needed to complete more advanced requests.

The software also includes a multimodal interface capable of understanding both voice and visual input. Over time, the system is designed to learn user habits to make interactions more proactive and reduce the number of manual steps needed to complete common tasks.

To support these capabilities, StepFun says it has implemented separate systems for memory management, decision-making and security. The memory system distinguishes between user information and AI-generated context, while the decision engine chooses between lighter and more powerful AI models depending on the complexity of a request.

StepFun has not yet announced a release date or pricing for the StepX Neo, but we'll keep you posted, so stick around.

How about Samsung and Apple?

It's out of the question for good ol' Sammy or Cupertino to release something like the StepX Neo in the foreseeable future.

Both companies still struggle with smaller batteries than the competition and can't force themselves to install behemoth-sized sensors in their telephoto cameras, so expecting a radical AI device from them is a pipe dream.

Maybe five, six years from now they'll meditate on the idea. By then, the StepX Neo and similar projects would have already been either a success or a flop.

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