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STEPX Neo: The First Large Model-Native AI Phone Hits the Market at 3,999 Yuan

STEPX Neo Debuts: A Phone Built Around AI, Not Just Apps

Imagine a phone that doesn't just run AI apps but is actually built around a large model from the ground up. That's exactly what STEPX (Step Terminal) introduced at its Shanghai event this week. The STEPX Neo, the company's first large model-native intelligent agent phone, aims to redefine what a smartphone can be by deeply integrating hardware, operating system, and large model into one seamless experience. And it starts at 3,999 yuan.

Design That Blends Retro and Future

The Neo sports a "retro-futuristic" look, with a transparent mechanical back panel and five Easter eggs that nod to AI history. But the real story is under the hood. STEPX equipped the phone with a six-microphone array, a low-power audio perception chip, and the Whisper1.0 sound pickup algorithm—together forming an auditory system that hears you clearly, even in noisy environments. There's also a dual-screen interactive system: the main display plus an independent MiniLED dot matrix back screen. Think of that back screen as the AI agent's own little expression space—it can show emotions, notifications, or even a dynamic face.

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Software and Brains: Step AOS 1.0 and the Step Model Matrix

On the software side, the Neo runs Step AOS 1.0, the first intelligent agent-native operating system. It integrates long-term memory, task scheduling, and a security architecture that's "trustable, visible, controllable, and reversible." The system splits memory into a "user domain" and an "intelligent agent domain," so your personal data and the AI's working memory stay separate.

For processing power, STEPX relies on its Step large model matrix with a terminal-cloud collaboration mechanism. Simple commands and offline tasks run on the device, while complex planning and cross-app tasks are handled in the cloud. This means you get fast responses without constantly pinging the network—and your privacy gets an extra layer of protection.

An Ecosystem That's Already Growing

STEPX isn't going it alone. The company introduced Step Studio, a natural language AI terminal-native development tool, and opened up sensor, back screen, and protocol capabilities to developers. At the event, Bilibili creators showed off some wild projects: a flight skateboard assistance system and a brain-computer interface that turns thoughts into speech. Meanwhile, the Step Amoo intelligent agent has partnered with nearly 100 services, including Alipay, Tencent (WeChat Work, WeChat Reading), Xiaohongshu, Ctrip, Didi, Gaode, and Meituan. That means you can use AI payments, cross-agent collaborative editing, and other full-process services right out of the box.

Pricing and Availability: A Sweet Deal for Early Birds

The STEPX Neo comes in carbon black and silicon silver, priced at 3,999 yuan. Early buyers get 12 months of 10 billion tokens per month—that's a lot of AI interactions. Plus, the first 10,000 users who meet certain task criteria will receive a "Starship Ticket," which lets them exchange their current model for a new STEPX terminal at zero cost within the next five years. Pre-sales began on the evening of October 13, and the phone officially goes on sale on October 16.

Key Points

  • STEPX Neo is the first large model-native AI phone, priced at 3,999 yuan.
  • It features a six-microphone array, Whisper1.0 algorithm, and a dual-screen system with a MiniLED back screen.
  • Runs Step AOS 1.0, an AI-native OS with dual-domain memory and terminal-cloud collaboration.
  • Ecosystem includes Step Studio for developers and partnerships with nearly 100 services like Alipay and WeChat.
  • Early buyers get 12 months of 10 billion tokens and a chance to swap for a new model within five years.
  • Pre-sales started October 13; official sales begin October 16.