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Step Star to Launch First AI Agent Phone on July 13, Beating OpenAI to the Punch

Step Star is gearing up to launch its first AI agent phone on July 13, marking a bold move into hardware for a company best known for its large language models. The announcement, made via the official "Step Terminal" account, positions the device as "the true agent of the Agent Era."

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According to a report by Science and Technology Daily, Step Star will introduce an AI terminal brand, an agent system, and its first AI agent phone. Notably, OpenAI has also publicly expressed interest in next-generation AI terminals, but plans to launch its own only in 2027. Step Star's early implementation makes it the first among global large model manufacturers to take this step.

Deep Manufacturing Partnership

In terms of manufacturing, Step Star has partnered with Huqin Technology, a listed company on China's A-share market. The collaboration goes beyond a simple OEM relationship; it's a deeply integrated partnership. Huqin Technology is a leading global smart hardware ODM, with shipments of smartphones, laptops, and tablets exceeding 10% of the global market. Moreover, Huqin had already made a strategic investment during Step Star's B+ round financing and continued to increase its investment in the subsequent C-round financing.

From Cloud to Edge

Step Star is trying to prove with a "native agent phone" that the future of large model companies is not just APIs, but end-to-end AI terminal experiences. The launch event on July 13 may provide an answer from Chinese large model companies on how AI can be integrated directly into consumer devices.

Key Points

  • Step Star will launch its first AI agent phone on July 13, 2026.
  • The device is manufactured in deep partnership with Huqin Technology.
  • Step Star beats OpenAI, which plans to launch a similar device in 2027.
  • The phone aims to deliver a native agent experience, moving beyond cloud-based APIs.