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STEPX Neo: The First Large-Model Native Phone Lands at 3999 Yuan

STEPX (Step Terminal), a brand focused on large-model-native AI devices, held a keynote event in Shanghai to launch its first intelligent agent phone, the STEPX Neo. The device, priced at 3,999 yuan, is the company's attempt to define a new terminal category through deep integration of hardware, operating system, and large models.

Design: A Nod to the Past, a Screen for the Future

The Neo wears a "retro-futuristic" look. Flip it over and you'll find a transparent mechanical back panel with five Easter eggs that reference moments in AI history. But the real conversation starter is the independent MiniLED dot-matrix back screen. It serves as a dynamic expression space for the AI agent—think of it as a face for your phone's brain. On the audio front, a six-microphone array, a low-power audio perception chip, and the Whisper1.0 pickup algorithm work together to form the device's "ears."

Under the Hood: A Brain That's Both Local and Cloud-Based

The Neo runs Step AOS 1.0, the first operating system built for intelligent agents. It manages long-term memory, schedules tasks, and splits memory into a "user domain" and an "agent domain" for security and privacy. The real muscle comes from the Step large model matrix, which uses a terminal-cloud collaboration approach: the on-device model handles simple commands and offline tasks, while the cloud model tackles complex planning and cross-app workflows.

An Ecosystem Built for Tinkerers

STEPX isn't keeping the platform closed. The company introduced Step Studio, a natural-language development tool for AI-native terminals, and opened up access to sensors, the back screen, and protocols. At the event, Bilibili creators showed off projects like a flight skateboard assistance system and a brain-computer interface that turns thoughts into speech. Meanwhile, the Step Amoo agent has already integrated with nearly 100 partners—including Alipay, Tencent (WeChat Work, WeChat Reading), Xiaohongshu, Ctrip, Didi, Gaode, and Meituan—to enable AI payments and cross-agent collaborative editing.

Pricing and Availability

The Neo comes in carbon black and silicon silver. Buyers get 12 months of 10 billion tokens per month included. And for the first 10,000 users who meet certain task criteria, STEPX is throwing in a "Starship Ticket"—a promise to swap your current model for a new STEPX terminal at zero cost within the next five years. Pre-sales started on the evening of October 13, with official sales beginning October 16.

Key Points

  • STEPX Neo launched in Shanghai, priced at 3,999 yuan.
  • Features a dual-screen system with a MiniLED dot-matrix back screen for AI expressions.
  • Runs Step AOS 1.0 with dual-domain memory and terminal-cloud model collaboration.
  • Step Studio opens development to creators; ecosystem includes ~100 partners.
  • Pre-sales began October 13; official sale October 16.