China Unveils 'Android and iPhone Killer', Showcases AI Agentic Smartphone Capabilities
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - StepFun, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, has introduced a phone claimed to be the world’s first agentic AI smartphone. The device is designed to carry out various tasks independently through AI agents, without requiring users to open applications one by one.
The launch took place at an event in Shanghai on Monday (13/7). StepFun, which is backed by Tencent Holdings, introduced the StepX Neo, a smartphone running the Step AOS operating system, a platform designed specifically for AI agents. The company also launched StepX, claimed to be the world’s first AI terminal brand built natively on a large language model (LLM).
Unlike ordinary smartphones, the StepX Neo is designed with AI at the centre of its operations. According to StepFun, the device is capable of understanding user requests, coordinating multiple services simultaneously, and completing complex tasks automatically.
The phone is equipped with a personal AI assistant named Amoo, which is integrated directly into the Step AOS operating system.
StepFun also announced integration with several of China’s largest digital services, such as Alipay for payments, Trip.com for travel bookings, Didi Chuxing for online transport services, and Meituan for a range of on-demand services. The integration allows Amoo to complete various cross-platform activities without user intervention.
The launch reflects the increasingly fierce global competition in the AI industry. A number of companies are now racing to dominate the entire AI ecosystem, from large language models and operating systems to hardware.
In the United States, this competition has even triggered legal conflict. Last week, Apple sued OpenAI, alleging it recruited former employees and prospective staff to obtain trade secrets related to unreleased Apple products.
Previously, OpenAI had also announced a partnership with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to develop dedicated hardware for ChatGPT.
Amid the rivalry between the American technology giants, StepFun instead wants to prove that the future of mobile software will be led by a standalone AI ecosystem.
StepFun founder and CEO Yin Qi said AI agents require an operating system built from scratch, rather than simply adding AI features to existing mobile platforms.
“AI agents require an operating system designed from the ground up, not AI features bolted onto an existing mobile platform,” Yin said, quoted by the South China Morning Post on Thursday (15/7/2026).
He argued that current smartphone operating systems were never designed to carry out tasks autonomously.
Yin also said StepFun will not rely on conventional revenue sources such as hardware sales, pre-installed app fees, or advertising. To date, the company has not disclosed a commercial launch date or pricing for the StepX Neo. Instead, StepFun will continue to explore new monetisation models for AI-native devices.
StepFun was founded in 2023 by former Microsoft Research Asia executive Jiang Daxin. The company has received funding support from Tencent Holdings as well as hardware manufacturers such as ZTE.
In May, StepFun raised nearly US$2.5 billion in pre-IPO funding, bringing the AI start-up’s valuation to around US$10 billion.