OpenAI is here to seize the smartphone market—will mobile internet be rewritten?

```

Author | Huang Yu

The human-computer interaction model and software order that have lasted for nearly twenty years are now facing a reshaping.

The latest industry investigation disclosed by Tianfeng International Securities analyst Guo Mingchi shows that OpenAI will officially enter the smartphone sector, attempting to completely end the interaction logic of the app era by reconstructing the software and hardware foundation.

This is an important signal that, after last year’s ByteDance Doubao, global AI giants are shaking up the phone industry. It may also mark the beginning of a reshaping of the mobile ecosystem, and spark a game concerning the voice of authority over the next-generation super entry point.

From “Away Game” to “Home Game”

For a long time, OpenAI has played the role of "living under someone else’s roof" on mobile platforms. Even though ChatGPT’s activity repeatedly reaches new highs, under the existing iOS or Android ecosystem, OpenAI has always been confined within the sandbox of the application layer.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has clearly seen through this: If you cannot fully control the operating system and underlying hardware, the AI Agent will never be able to reach the user's core status, nor realize truly “comprehensive service.”

Under the current smartphone architecture, if AI wants to help users order a takeaway or organize a complex agenda, it often has to navigate through multiple permission barriers and app jumps. This “sluggish” interaction experience is essentially the result of restricted permissions.

OpenAI’s choice to develop its own smartphones is essentially an attempt to use AI to reshape the underlying system, truly remold the way humans interact with machines, and turn the smartphone into an AI agent that can perceive, decide, execute, and possess a digital persona autonomously.

Wang Jiping, Vice President of IDC Global and China, told Wallstreet News that OpenAI launching a phone product shows that large model vendors wish to improve their ecosystems, deeply guide the direction of smart phone designs, and build terminal devices more suited to the future convergence of end-device and cloud.

OpenAI is highly committed to entering the smartphone sector this time.

According to Tianfeng International Securities analyst Guo Mingchi's industry investigation, OpenAI is jointly developing exclusive processors with Qualcomm and MediaTek; Luxshare Precision has secured the exclusive contract to co-design and manufacture its system, with mass production expected in 2028.

Collaborating simultaneously with both Qualcomm and MediaTek, two major phone chip giants, to develop processors is rare in the smartphone industry.

For Luxshare Precision, this is not only a huge order, but also a ticket to the status of leading manufacturer of next-generation AI hardware.

Driven by this news, Luxshare Precision’s stock price soared over 9% on April 27, closing at about 71.97 yuan/share, a record high.

According to a prior revelation by The Information, OpenAI has already built an internal hardware team of 200 people, with product design handled by LoveFrom studio, led by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive.

From a headset code-named "Sweet Pea" to smart speakers, smart glasses, and AI pens, OpenAI is weaving an all-scenario hardware network, with the smartphone being the core node of highest information density and strongest user reliance.

Smartphones track users’ real-time location, schedule, payment habits, and even physical data—all crucial nourishment for enhancing AI Agent capabilities.

Sam Altman once described smartphones as "Times Square," filled with information bombs, while he wants to build a “lake cabin” for users through self-developed hardware—where you can shut the door and receive focused services on-demand.

This “hardware centralization” from chips to systems to interaction is OpenAI’s attempt to completely shake off the constraints of existing smartphone giants and establish an independent AI empire.

Software Chess Game Underway

When the OpenAI phone debuts in 2028, the first shock will come from the software ecosystem.

In the past, users’ habit was “people find apps,” but in the future, it will shift to “intention drives AI, AI dispatches apps.” This means apps may still exist, but they will retreat backstage and become functional parts invoked by AI agents for tasks.

The “cross-app scheduling” ability of AI Agents also means users can complete services without opening apps, essentially pulling out the traffic foundation of platforms.

Elon Musk has a more radical prediction: In the next 5-6 years, traditional phones and apps will disappear, and most content consumed by humans will be AI-generated.

Whether for system vendors like Android and Apple, who currently control app distribution, or platforms like Taobao and Meituan that rely on user duration, ad exposure, and transaction commissions, this revolution is undoubtedly fatal.

The reconstruction brought by AI Agents is destined to not go smoothly; it will inevitably entail a fierce chess game between old and new forces.

The domestic "Doubao phone" pilot has already provided an excellent observation window: when Doubao assistant uses system permissions to simulate human operations across apps, helping users send messages or order takeout, it quickly encountered strong blocking from platforms like WeChat, Taobao, and Alipay.

The "security firewalls" built up by these super apps stem from extreme fear of losing data control and traffic foundation.

For internet giants like Google, Meta, Tencent, and Alibaba, if user needs are closed-looped on the AI interface, their hard-won top entry position over the past decade will be threatened.

OpenAI’s choice to mass produce in 2028 likely means leveraging this window period, thoroughly developing hardware and operating systems to avoid compatibility risks and permission blockages from current Android or iOS systems, thus entering the market in a deeper, more irreversible way.

The endgame of this transformation will be a layered and reshaped new software order. The future business model may shift from the current app distribution to subscription-based AI tasks or bundled hardware sales.

The old era, fragmented by standalone apps, has already heard breaking sounds. The ultimate battle for the super entry point of human digital life could be completely ignited by OpenAI.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerThe market has risks; investment must be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the individual investment goals, financial situation, or needs of any user. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article fit their specific circumstances. Investing accordingly is at your own risk. ```