Agent phones gain pace as Nubia and StepFun move in
AI summary
According to a 36Kr news brief citing Shanghai Securities News, Nubia and StepFun's terminal unit have recently launched or iterated on so-called agent phones, pushing the category into faster deployment, while on-device AI filings in China are expanding and AI tries to rewrite how smartphones are used. The report says a contest over who defines the terminal has begun, but cross-app execution, data security, ecosystem coordination and cost control remain unresolved. Whether agent phones can anchor a new smartphone upgrade cycle is still for the market to decide.
In-depth insight
Smartphones are becoming a key landing ground for AI agents, so the fight over terminal entry points and ecosystem control could shape the next upgrade cycle.