Vertu unveils AI-powered foldable phone for executives starting at $6,880
The Story
Luxury smartphone brand Vertu on Thursday unveiled the Alphafold, a foldable phone with an AI agent designed for executives managing business operations. The device starts at $6,880 for the calfskin version, with higher-end models reaching $46,800. Vertu aims to combine luxury hardware with enterprise-focused AI capabilities to reinvent the brand for the AI era.
Key Facts
- Vertu’s Alphafold uses an AI agent called Hermes Agent, built on the open-source Hermes project by Nous Research.
- The agent connects to enterprise systems such as ERP and CRM and can coordinate tasks like approvals, scheduling, sales tracking, travel planning, and operational reporting via natural-language prompts.
- The Alphafold can route requests across multiple AI models including OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and selected open-source models, and integrates with more than 80 apps.
- The device features a proprietary A5 security chip designed to isolate authentication keys, biometric credentials, and sensitive enterprise information from the main operating system.
- Vertu said the system has not yet undergone third-party security audits or independent certification, but that such audits are on its security roadmap.
- The Alphafold is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor and includes an 8.05-inch foldable display, a 6.53-inch outer screen, a 6,500mAh battery, satellite communication capabilities, and a triple rear camera setup (50MP primary and ultrawide, 5MP telephoto).
- The phone’s hinge uses metal, titanium, and carbon-fiber components and is rated for up to 650,000 folds.
- Vertu launched a similar clamshell-style foldable phone called Agent Q last year focused on AI-driven automation.
- According to IDC data, as many as 20 million foldable smartphones were shipped globally in 2025, less than 2% of total shipments, at an average price of about $1,300.
- IDC’s Kiranjeet Kaur said foldables could benefit from AI-agent workflows due to larger displays suited for multitasking, but noted enterprise AI adoption on smartphones still lags behind computers.
- The first 115-unit batch of Vertu’s Alphafold begins shipping this week across major markets including the U.S.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Molly Ma — Vertu CEO
- Kiranjeet Kaur — associate research director for mobile phones research at IDC
