As 2024 draws to a close, the landscape of smartphone technology is undergoing a seismic shiftWhat was once considered a lackluster feature—voice assistants like Siri—has evolved into a highly coveted tool for smartphone manufacturers competing in the rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence (AI) and large modelsWith the emergence of AI smartphones powered by these sophisticated models, companies are racing to transform user interactions.

The fall of 2024 marks a pivotal moment as giants like Apple and Samsung, alongside Chinese competitors such as Honor, Xiaomi, VIVO, and OPPO, unveil their latest AI-driven devicesWithin this competitive arena, AI assistants, much like Siri, are poised to become significant gateways for user engagement, often referred to as “super traffic entrances.”

With the vision presented by smartphone manufacturers, the concept is straightforward: users will be able to command their devices through conversation

From beautifying photos to hailing rides and ordering food, these AI assistants are set to become commanders of mobile technology, seamlessly integrating various applications in the backgroundHowever, while these aspirations sound promising, the reality of their execution remains uncertain.

The competition in the AI smartphone landscape intensified spectacularly following the launch of the iPhone 16, which marked Apple’s first foray into integrating large models within its smartphonesThis bold move ignited a full-scale race among manufacturers to establish a foothold in the burgeoning AI market.

Prior to this, Honor's CEO Zhao Ming reportedly hinted at the impending release of the Magic 7 series, positioning it as the first smartphone in China equipped with an AI agent, claiming to maintain a technological lead over AppleMirroring past rhetoric from Huawei, Honor's strategy reflects a determination to reclaim market dominance.

By October, Honor introduced Magic OS 9.0, which saw the debut of its smart assistant, YOYO

This assistant has managed to weave together multiple applications, enabling users to perform tasks such as seamlessly recharging their accounts or ordering food with a single commandIn the industry, Honor has quickly established itself as one of the frontrunners committed to deploying AI-driven models effectively.

In the face of rising competition from former parent company Huawei, Honor finds itself in a pivotal moment2024 brought multiple rounds of IPO financing as the company sought to navigate the pressures of market performance leading up to its anticipated public offeringHonor aims to revitalize its sales through AI devices while embracing the mantra, “to become Huawei and challenge Apple.”

However, Honor is not alone in its hopes for AI smartphonesIn October, companies like Xiaomi, VIVO, and OPPO followed suit with their respective AI devices, marking a significant wave of advancements in AI technologies across China.

Xiaomi's latest offering, the Xiaomi 15, integrates its upgraded AI assistant, dubbed “Super Xiao Ai,” introducing a multitude of features including AI-driven live wallpapers, smart locks, writing assistance, audio recognition, and more

Meanwhile, VIVO unveiled its 3B large model with a staggering 30 billion parameters, claiming that its investments in AI over the past six years have exceeded 23 billion yuanOPPO took the industry by storm with the world’s first successful implementation of MoE (Mixture of Experts) model on a mobile device while promoting the concept of “AI as System,” alongside its intelligent assistant capable of executing over 1,800 commands.

Moreover, Meizu has adopted an “All in AI” strategy, shifting from traditional smartphone projects to focus exclusively on AI-enhanced devicesCompared to Apple and Samsung, which have adopted a more reserved approach, Chinese manufacturers exhibit a fervent eagerness to embrace AI developments swiftly.

Market data paints a clearer picture of the urgency behind these maneuversFrom nearly 500 million smartphone sales in China in 2017, numbers plummeted to under 300 million by 2023—representing a staggering 40% decline

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As consumer upgrade cycles stretch to two and even three years, smartphone makers desperately need a new narrative and growth avenue to revitalize their fortunes.

However, beneath this enthusiastic push for edge AI lies a significant concern: how can such powerful models effectively operate within the constraints of a smartphone? Analyzing the capabilities of leading AI models reveals startling discrepanciesFor example, OpenAI’s GPT-4 model boasts around 200 trillion parameters, while homegrown models struggle to replicate such prowess within mobile hardware.

Smartphones naturally grapple with limitations due to hardware capabilities, processing power, memory, storage capacity, and battery life—not to mention the fundamental difficulties associated with scaling down large models like ChatGPT and Doubao into a compact formThe disparity in parameter counts—mobile models typically only manage several billion to a hundred billion parameters—poses a monumental challenge in achieving parity with cloud-based counterparts.

While smartphone manufacturers race toward the development of these large models at the device level, achieving the necessary hardware upgrades creates additional financial burdens for consumers

Moreover, expectations around energy efficiency and battery capacity present formidable hurdles that may not be overcome in the short term.

Despite many AI phone makers claiming to rely strictly on their in-house models, a significant number still utilize hybrid strategies involving cloud-based AIFor instance, VIVO’s flagship X100 allows users to choose whether to run models on-device or in the cloud, with the default setting favoring cloud engagementMeanwhile, Apple continues collaborating with cloud-based AI giants, indicating an unwillingness to go solo with their robust AI capabilities, exemplified by its partnerships with TikTok’s parent company ByteDance and Tencent.

In this aggressive race, security and privacy implications arise as potential vulnerabilitiesAI mobile assistants’ ability to access numerous app functionalities through simulated clicks and basic commands can raise significant concerns

Despite a promising facade, the underlying mechanisms often expose users to risks pertaining to data privacy.

The evolution of AI-assisted smartphone technology has given rise to competitive frameworks that intertwine hardware manufacturers and app developersSome companies, like Apple and Huawei, leverage a strategy of “intent framework agreements,” inviting third-party applications to contribute to their ecosystemsIn contrast, Android-based phones from Honor have adopted a more aggressive approach, employing technologies that mimic user interactions with app interfaces.

However, such methodologies could exploit “accessibility permissions” developed for disabled users, potentially sparking severe risks related to security and data privacyThese problematic practices echo broader concerns about competition and cooperation, illuminating the fragile dynamics between hardware manufacturers and app developers.

A fresh dilemma now looms on the horizon, as smartphone companies tout the enhanced privacy of on-device AI models compared to those powered by the cloud