Vertu, the esteemed luxury smartphone manufacturer, revealed a new foldable device on Thursday, distinguished by an integrated AI agent capable of interfacing with enterprise software and streamlining workflows. This innovative offering is specifically aimed at executives who require seamless management of business operations and communications while mobile.
Named the Alphafold, this premium foldable smartphone commences its pricing at $6,880 for the calfskin variant. Exquisite higher-tier models boast custom finishes such as alligator leather, 18K gold, and genuine diamond embellishments, alongside personalized detailing. This strategy reinforces Vertu's enduring commitment to positioning its handsets as exclusive luxury symbols designed for discerning, affluent clientele. The company informed TechCrunch that its most lavish standard model currently carries a price tag of $46,800, with additional bespoke customization possibilities.
This launch signifies Vertu's most recent endeavor to redefine its identity for the artificial intelligence age, following previous challenges in maintaining relevance within the contemporary smartphone landscape. The Hong Kong-based company, historically renowned for its opulent handsets and concierge services favored by wealthy consumers prior to the iPhone's ascendancy, has experienced several ownership changes as mainstream smartphone manufacturers gained market dominance. Despite this, Vertu is confident that the Alphafold, through its fusion of luxurious hardware and enterprise-centric AI functionalities, can successfully rejuvenate the brand for the AI era.
The Vertu Alphafold integrates the Hermes Agent, developed upon the open-source Hermes project by Nous Research. This sophisticated agent offers connectivity to crucial enterprise systems, including ERP and CRM, facilitating the coordination of tasks such as approvals, scheduling, sales tracking, travel planning, and operational reporting via natural-language prompts. Vertu emphasized, however, that its Phone-to-ERP and VPS implementations will be tailored to each client's specific existing enterprise systems, with pricing adjusted commensurate with these customizations.
According to Vertu, the Alphafold is designed to intelligently route requests across an array of leading AI models, encompassing OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and various open-source alternatives. Furthermore, it boasts integration with over 80 applications and numerous native phone functionalities, enabling seamless cross-platform workflows.
Vertu CEO Molly Ma highlighted that current AI capabilities on mainstream smartphones predominantly cater to consumer applications like image editing and voice assistance. She asserted that this creates a significant opportunity for more sophisticated AI-agent workflows directly linked to enterprise systems. Ma also referenced previous AI-agent smartphone trials in China that initially garnered interest but subsequently encountered obstacles related to data privacy and cloud-based data collection practices.
Ma explained that the Alphafold endeavors to mitigate these privacy concerns through a dedicated architecture centered around a proprietary A5 security chip. This specialized silicon is engineered to compartmentalize authentication keys, biometric data, and confidential enterprise information, separating them from the primary operating system, as stated by the company. Vertu further noted that commercially sensitive data can be processed directly on the device, and any prompts transmitted to external AI models undergo redaction or tokenization prior to leaving the handset.
While Vertu has underscored the device's robust privacy and security architecture, encompassing on-device processing and data redaction functionalities, the company acknowledged that the system has not yet completed third-party security audits or independent certification. Nevertheless, Vertu informed TechCrunch that independent audits and certification are firmly integrated into its security roadmap "as an explicit next-stage commitment," with a promise to "communicate the progress and the results publicly" as the product reaches further maturity.
Powering the Alphafold is Qualcomm’s advanced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor. Its impressive specifications include an 8.05-inch foldable main display complemented by a 6.53-inch outer screen, a substantial 6,500mAh battery, and integrated satellite communication capabilities. Photography is handled by a versatile triple rear camera system, featuring 50-megapixel primary and ultrawide lenses, alongside a 5-megapixel telephoto lens. Vertu highlighted that the phone's durable hinge, constructed from metal, titanium, and carbon-fiber components, is engineered to withstand up to 650,000 folds.
The Alphafold represents a continued exploration rather than a novel venture for Vertu in merging AI with foldable technology. Last year, the company unveiled Agent Q, a clamshell-style foldable smartphone that also emphasized AI-driven automation and productivity features.
However, Ma conveyed to TechCrunch that the Alphafold signifies a substantial advancement beyond Agent Q, attributing this progress to the rapid maturation of AI-agent technology over the past year, particularly noting enhancements in memory, automation, and application integration.
Despite significant, multi-year investments from prominent manufacturers like Samsung and Huawei, foldable smartphones continue to occupy a niche segment in the global market. IDC data shared with TechCrunch indicates that approximately 20 million foldable smartphones were shipped globally in 2025, constituting less than 2% of total smartphone shipments. The research firm also noted that foldables commanded an average price of around $1,300 last year, which is roughly triple the cost of conventional non-foldable smartphones.
Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director for mobile phones research at IDC, suggested that foldable devices could ultimately capitalize on AI-agent workflows, given their larger displays are inherently more conducive to multitasking and productivity-focused experiences. Nevertheless, she cautioned that enterprise AI adoption on smartphones currently trails behind that on computers. Kaur further observed that the majority of enterprise smartphone procurement decisions are still primarily influenced by ecosystem integration and robust device management support, rather than advanced AI capabilities.
The initial production run of 115 units of Vertu’s Alphafold is slated to commence shipping this week, reaching key markets globally, including the United States.
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