AI Agents are Predicted to Displace Apps on Mobile

Stan Honor at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2026. The company introduced Agentic OS, an AI system that is claimed to be able to run cross-application tasks independently. Photo: Yicai Global

JAKARTA - Smart phones in the next ten years are expected to no longer be just a place to install applications. The device will turn into an AI agent workspace, an artificial intelligence system that can understand the user's intent, compose steps, and carry out tasks.

The view was conveyed by Fang Fei, President of Honor Product Line, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, at the subforum of the Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2026, as quoted from Yicai Global, Wednesday, June 25.

According to Fang, mobile terminals are entering a new cycle of change. AI is now evolving into an agent that not only responds to commands, but is also capable of planning and executing work.

Fang said there were three major changes to the mobile terminal. First, the way of interaction shifted from a graphical interface to an agent-based interface. Users not only rely on touch screens, but also natural language, gestures, eye movements, and body movements.

Second, the value of the device is no longer based on the application ecosystem. The device will increasingly rely on mining and managing the user's long-term usage record.

Third, the logic of service distribution is beginning to change. Until now, digital services have been designed to be used directly by consumers. In the future, services must also be accessible and run by AI agents who work on behalf of users.

"Terminals will be a mandatory path for AI to enter the real life of humans," said Fang.

According to Fang, terminals have so far played a role as hardware as well as an application gateway. However, as AI agents become increasingly dependent on usage scenarios, device status, and long-term behavioral data, the position of the terminal will become increasingly important.

He assessed that the change also opened up new opportunities for device manufacturers in the AI era. At the same time, traditional operating systems that have focused on managing applications are no longer able to meet the needs of autonomous collaboration between AI agencies.

According to a report by Yicai Global, Honor also introduced Agentic OS, a high-level system architecture for a new generation of AI terminals. The complete technical framework is expected to be released next month.

Through Agentic OS, AI agents are claimed to be able to complete cross-application tasks from start to finish without much user intervention. This system is also designed to accept various forms of input, ranging from voice, gestures, eye movements, to body movements, so that it is no longer completely dependent on the touchscreen.

Agentic OS will also connect various devices in one system, ranging from mobile phones, personal computers, wearable devices such as smartwatches, to smart home devices.

According to Fang, Agentic OS will change the relationship between humans and devices. Terminals that have only served as tools will evolve into intelligent partners that understand user needs and are able to perform various tasks independently.