TECH

Chinese Smartphone Makers Bet on AI Agents to Revive Demand

Published: Sep. 21, 2026 10:27 a.m. GMT+8

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Honor said its MagicOS 11 includes a system-level agent harness and allows its Yoyo assistant to perform tasks involving more than 100 steps: Photo: Honor

Chinese smartphone makers are rebuilding their operating systems around AI agents that can plan and execute tasks across apps, placing a new bet on software as falling shipments and rising prices weigh on the global handset market.

Oppo Co. Ltd., Vivo Mobile Communication Co. Ltd. and Honor Device Co. unveiled new operating systems at separate developer conferences last week, each promising to turn the smartphone from a device that responds to commands into an assistant capable of anticipating users’ needs and carrying out multistep tasks.

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