Supply‑chain analyst Ming‑Chi Kuo revealed that OpenAI is assembling its first smartphone, a stark pivot from earlier statements that the company would stay out of the phone market. Kuo’s X post lists MediaTek and Qualcomm as chip partners and names Luxshare Precision Industry as the sole assembler, with mass production slated for 2028. The device aims to serve as a dedicated platform for AI agents for consumers.

Kuo argues the phone uniquely captures a user’s real‑time state—location, activity, communications and context—providing the richest input for continuous AI inference. He predicts agents will replace discrete apps, letting users issue task‑level commands that the phone fulfills autonomously. Controlling both OS and hardware, OpenAI could bundle the service into a subscription model and nurture a developer ecosystem across platforms.

Luxshare stands to gain a foothold beyond Apple’s supply chain, positioning itself as a key player in what Kuo dubs the next generation of smartphones. OpenAI’s hardware roadmap, previously focused on smart speakers, glasses and other IoT devices under Jony Ive’s design studio, now anticipates a flagship phone launch in early 2027, directly challenging the iPhone in the premium segment.