Vertu wants CEOs to run companies with an AI-powered foldable device starting at $6,880

Luxury smartphone brand Vertu on Thursday unveiled a foldable phone powered by an artificial intelligence agent that connects to enterprise software and coordinates workflows. The company targets executives who manage business operations and communications on the go.

The foldable smartphone is called the Alphafold, and it starts at $6,880 for the calfskin version. High-end models feature custom finishes including alligator leather, 18-karat gold and natural diamond accents, as well as custom details. This is a continuation of Vertu’s long-standing strategy of positioning its phones as luxury status symbols aimed at affluent buyers. The company told TechCrunch that the pricier standard model is currently $46,800, with more customization options available.

The launch marks Vertu’s latest attempt to reinvent itself for the age of AI after struggling to remain relevant in the modern smartphone market. The Hong Kong-headquartered company, once known for luxury phones and concierge services popular among wealthy buyers before the advent of the iPhone, has changed ownership several times over the years as major smartphone makers took control of the industry. However, Vertu is betting that Alphafold can help reinvent the brand for the AI ​​era by combining luxury hardware with enterprise-focused AI capabilities.

Vertu’s Alphafold comes with the Hermes Agent, built on top of the open source Hermes project by Nous Research. An agent can connect to enterprise systems such as ERP and CRM, and coordinate tasks such as approvals, scheduling, sales tracking, travel planning, and operational reporting through natural language prompts. However, the company said that mobile-to-ERP and VPS deployments will be customized for each customer depending on their existing enterprise systems, with pricing varying accordingly.

Vertu said Alphafold can route requests across multiple AI models including OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini and select open source models, while also integrating with more than 80 apps and dozens of native mobile functions for cross-platform workflows.

Molly Ma, CEO of Vertu, said current AI features on smartphones from major manufacturers are still largely focused on consumer tools like photo editing and voice assistance. This leaves room for more advanced AI agent workflows tied to enterprise systems. She also pointed to previous experiments with AI-based smartphones in China that gained popularity before facing challenges related to data privacy and cloud-based data collection.

Alphafold aims to address these concerns with a privacy-focused architecture that features a proprietary A5 security chip, Ma said. This silicon is designed to isolate authentication keys, biometric credentials and sensitive enterprise information from the main operating system, the company said. Commercially sensitive data can be processed locally on the device, while prompts sent to external AI models are redacted or coded before leaving the phone, she added.

While Vertu emphasized the device’s privacy and security architecture, including on-device processing and data redaction features, the company said the system has not yet undergone third-party security audits or independent certification. However, Vertu told TechCrunch that independent audits and certification remain on its security roadmap “as an explicit commitment in the next phase,” adding that it will “publicly communicate progress and results” once the product matures further.

The Alphafold is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor and features an 8.05-inch foldable display alongside a 6.53-inch external display, a 6,500 mAh battery, and satellite calling capabilities. The device also includes a triple rear camera setup with 50MP primary and ultra-wide cameras, as well as a 5MP telephoto lens. Vertu said the phone’s hinge uses metal components, titanium and carbon fiber and can be worn up to 650,000 times.

Alphafold isn’t Vertu’s first attempt to combine AI with foldable devices. Last year, the company introduced Agent Q, a clamshell-shaped foldable smartphone that focuses on AI-driven automation and productivity features.

However, Ma told TechCrunch that Alphafold represents a significant step forward from Agent Q, arguing that AI-agent technology has matured rapidly over the past year, with improvements in memory, automation and application integration.

Foldable smartphones remain a niche sector globally despite years of investment by major manufacturers including Samsung and Huawei. As many as 20 million foldable smartphones will be shipped globally in 2025, representing less than 2% of total smartphone shipments, according to data IDC shared with TechCrunch. The research firm said foldable devices sold for an average price of about $1,300 last year, nearly three times the price of non-foldable smartphones.

Foldable devices could eventually benefit from AI workflows because larger displays are better suited for multitasking and productivity-oriented experiences, said Kiranjit Kaur, associate research director for mobile research at IDC. However, she added that enterprise AI adoption on smartphones still lags behind PCs, and that most enterprise smartphone decisions are still driven by ecosystem integration and device management support rather than AI capabilities.

The first batch of 115 units of Vertu’s Alphafold begins shipping this week across key markets including the US