Chinese Startup StepFun Launches a Phone Built Around an AI Agent, Not Apps

StepFun, a Chinese AI startup backed by Tencent, launched the STEPX Neo, a phone whose AI agent is built into the operating system itself instead of sitting in an app. The operating system is the core software that runs a phone, like iOS or Android. Pre-orders opened that evening at 3,999 yuan, about $560, with a first sales event on Oct. 16.