Deutsche Telekom Previews ‘App-Free’ AI-Powered Smartphone

“There’s an app for that.”

Fifteen years ago, that was Apple’s tagline for its iPhone, letting customers know that whatever they wanted a smartphone to do, they had an application that could do it.

Now, Germany’s Deutsche Telekom is introducing a phone that doesn’t have apps, and apparently doesn’t need them, Reuters reported Monday (Feb. 26).

Instead of apps, the company’s new “T-phone” uses artificial intelligence and features an app-free interface developed in partnership with Qualcomm and Brain.

“I can tell you that in five to 10 years from now, nobody from us will use apps anymore,” said CEO Tim Hoettges in a presentation at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, per the report.

Examples of the phone’s capabilities include generating tailored recommendations for vacation destinations, purchasing a product for its owner, or sending pictures and videos to contacts, the report said.

“The showcased product reflects Deutsche Telekom’s belief that multi- and cross-modal large language models will soon become integral to devices, enhancing and simplifying the lives of its customers,” the company said in its presentation, per the report.

As PYMNTS wrote last week, the MWC this year will heavily feature AI, as the industry turns to the technology to excite users and boost sales.

“The impact of AI is trickling through every part of the field as companies rush to adopt generative AI and other types of machine learning tools,” the report said.

Companies throughout the wireless sector are integrating AI with telecommunications. Some firms are adding AI features to smartphones and other devices, while others are employing AI to enhance the operations of network systems.

Aside from consumer technology, MWC attendees can explore how AI, IoT and quantum computing enhance connectivity for business and industrial applications. For example, a session called “Developing Gen AI that cares” aims to examine the impact of AI on the telecom industry’s workforce, as companies like AT&T have said that AI contributes to fewer call volumes in customer service centers and improves efficiency in field operations, consulting and contractor costs.

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