**"Smartphone Apps as We Know Them May Soon be a Thing of the Past"** Imagine a future where your smartphone can predict your needs and take actions without needing you to explicitly tell it to do so. This is the vision of Carl Pei, co-founder and CEO of Nothing, a consumer electronics company that has been making waves in the tech industry with its innovative products. In a recent interview at the SXSW conference in Austin, Pei shared his thoughts on the future of smartphones and software. According to him, apps as we know them today will become a thing of the past. Instead, AI agents will take their place, making our lives easier and more convenient. Pei's idea is not new, but it's gaining traction. He believes that the next step in smartphone technology is to create a device that can learn our habits and preferences over time. This AI-powered device will be able to anticipate our needs and provide suggestions or take actions without needing our explicit instruction. To illustrate this concept, Pei pointed to the example of a user who wants to be healthier. The AI-powered device will be able to provide nudges and suggestions to help the user achieve their goal, such as recommending healthy recipes or suggesting exercise routines. But what about the apps we use today, like social media or gaming apps? According to Pei, they will eventually become obsolete. "If you're a founder or a startup, and your app is your core value, then you need to think about how you're going to adapt to this new reality," he warned. In Nigeria, where the mobile phone market is rapidly growing, this shift towards AI-powered devices has significant implications. Imagine being able to access essential services like banking, healthcare, or education without needing to download an app. This is the future that Pei envisions, and it's one that could revolutionize the way we use our smartphones. While this vision may seem like science fiction, it's already being tested by some companies today. And with the rapid advancements in AI technology, it's likely that we'll see significant changes in the way we use our smartphones in the near future.