The CEO of Nothing points to the future of smartphones, saying apps will disappear before transitioning to AI Native operations.
Carl Pei, CEO and founder of Nothing and former co-founder of OnePlus, spoke at SXSW 2026 about the near future of smartphones. He said apps will vanish, replaced by AI Agents working behind the scenes.
Pei added that any business tied to apps will inevitably face disruption unless it is a very strong brand. He also recommended creating interfaces, or APIs, that can be accessed directly rather than relying solely on human-operated screens.
Pei, as Nothing's CEO, confirmed the company is pursuing the concept of AI-native devices, focusing on developing a feature called Essential Apps, which are widgets that replace fully launching apps. This reflects Pei's belief that a smartphone should have just one app: the operating system itself.
Regarding the shift from an app-based world to an app-free world, Pei estimates it will take about 7 to 10 years from now, butin the short term,within the next five years, operating systems will undergo significant changes alongside new devices that will be used in conjunction with smartphones.
Source:9to5google