This concept phone ditches all apps and uses AI to read your mind, kind of

Deutsche Telekom's concept phone with AI interface
(Image credit: Deutsche Telekom)

What you need to know

  • Deutsche Telekom, the majority shareholder of T-Mobile, is teasing a phone at MWC 2024 that eliminates apps in favor of an all-AI interface.
  • Teaming up with Qualcomm and Brain.ai, Telekom developed the T Phone, featuring an app-free interface powered by cloud-based AI.
  • Telekom also plans to showcase a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phone with built-in AI processing, aiming to boost AI capabilities in mobile devices, particularly for image and video tasks.

T-Mobile's majority shareholder, Deutsche Telekom, is teasing a phone at MWC 2024 that gets rid of apps in favor of an all-AI interface to get things done.

Teaming up with Qualcomm and Brain.ai, Telekom built a phone with an app-free UI and powered by cloud-based AI. The phone, dubbed T Phone, will be shown off during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 26.

Additionally, Telekom plans to flex a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phone with built-in AI processing. Qualcomm unveiled this beast late last year, and it's the powerhouse behind many top Android phones today. The goal is to amp up AI skills on mobile devices, especially in the image and video departments.

"Artificial intelligence and Large Language Models (LLM) will soon be an integral part of mobile devices," said Jon Abrahamson, chief product and digital officer at Deutsche Telekom. "We will use them to improve and simplify the lives of our customers. Our vision is a magenta concierge for an app-free smartphone. A real everyday companion that fulfills needs and simplifies digital life."

Abrahamson's got a point—it's a battle of the best products out there. In 2022, OpenAI's ChatGPT stepped up for essay writing and beating writer's block, even launching a mobile app worldwide. Then in 2023, Google threw Bard (now called Gemini) into the ring, a chatbot hooked up to the search engine for pulling real-time information.

Telekom is set to flaunt the device's practical applications, like booking flights and hotels, at MWC. Think of it as your personal concierge, getting what you need by understanding your goals and handling the nitty-gritty. You can use voice commands to make the phone plan trips, shop, or even tackle creative tasks like video creation and photo editing.

Apps are currently the go-to destinations for everything—music, TV, e-books, rides, food—you name it. But Deutsche Telekom thinks it's a hassle. Too many apps, too confusing, and too time-consuming.

Telekom's concept AI phone might rescue us from app headaches, or maybe we'll all become obsessed with it—like that crossword app we can't stop using. Imagine if your phone could even help you with tricky crossword clues.

Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.

Read more
The Honor Alpha Plan teaser for MWC 2025
Everyone is tired of AI, but it sounds like Honor is cooking up something different
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025
What is Agentic AI, and why is it such a big deal on the Galaxy S25?
a lineup of six TCL 60 series phones
TCL's 60 series phones pack premium features without the high-end price
Honor Magic 7 Pro back view against colorful background with Honor logo visible
Honor unveils an Alpha AI strategy with a $10 billion investment
Sundar Pichai at Google I/O 2024 describing Google Gemini AI
Smartphones have reached their peak, so what could possibly be next?
TECNO AI
TECNO teases a new phone prototype and more AI for MWC 2025
Latest in Phones
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display
New leak shows off Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in 'Titanium' variants
The back of the Obsidian Google Pixel 9 Pro
Some Pixel owners had a delayed start, thanks to alarm clock failures
Holding an Obsidian Google Pixel 9 Pro
That's not a typo — this Google Pixel 9 Pro deal from Amazon makes Black Friday look like a joke
Leaked image of a blue Galaxy Z Flip 7
New Galaxy Z Flip 7 case leak backs rumors of a larger cover display
Android Central's Lloyd sitting at a computer desk
Editor's Desk
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 on cobblestone road
One UI 7 Beta 3 for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Fold 6 brings two notable AI additions
Latest in News
The promotional image for Google Workspace feature drops.
The March Workspace feature drop upgrades Gemini's note-taking and translation tools
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display
New leak shows off Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in 'Titanium' variants
YouTube Music home screen
YouTube Music's personalized radio stations are getting even smarter
The back of the Obsidian Google Pixel 9 Pro
Some Pixel owners had a delayed start, thanks to alarm clock failures
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Home Screen - 16x9
Heads up — Samsung's detailed One UI 7 rollout schedule for Galaxy appears
The old Android logo at Google's Pier 57 building in New York City
Report claims Google may move to 'privately' develop Android's future