Joe Maring / Android Authority
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TL;DR
- Y Combinator-backed startup Blue has launched the public beta of Blue Phone, which runs Blue OS on the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL.
- Blue’s AI assistant can work across apps, handle multiple tasks at once, and turn voice recordings into written messages.
- Blue Phone costs $1,299, but iPhone users can get it for free by trading in their old device within 30 days of purchase.
AI assistants can do quite a lot these days. You can ask them to write emails, summarize documents, or help plan a trip. But when it’s time to actually get something done, you still have to jump between apps, look for information, and do much of the work yourself.
A startup called Blue wants to change that. Backed by Y Combinator, the company has opened the public beta of its new Blue Phone, which puts an AI assistant at the heart of the smartphone experience. And instead of building an entirely new phone, it’s starting with the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. The big difference is the software. Both phones come with Blue OS, a customized version of Android that lets the AI assistant work across apps and handle tasks for you.
For example, if you’re trying to find a receipt from something you bought months ago, compare prices before making a purchase, or dispute an unexpected charge, Blue can do it for you. It can even work on multiple requests at the same time, so you don’t have to wait for one task to finish before moving on to the next.
It also has a handy voice dictation feature — you can speak naturally, even if your thoughts are a little all over the place, and the phone will turn them into a properly written message.
Of course, giving an AI assistant this much access to your phone raises obvious privacy concerns. To address that, Blue uses an encrypted Vault for passwords and other sensitive information. The operating system is based on a security-focused, open-source version of Android and blocks ad tracking by default. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how these protections hold up once more people start using the phone.
Blue Phone costs $1,299, but you could get it for free if you’re willing to give up your old iPhone. The offer requires you to send your iPhone to the company within 30 days of purchasing the Blue Phone. If you’re worried about moving your data, a transfer process lets you bring over your contacts, messages, and photos by connecting your iPhone to a Mac.
The phone comes with three months of unlimited Blue usage, and US shipments are scheduled for November and December. Meanwhile, the startup is working on its own custom smartphone, expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2027. If that sounds interesting, you can reserve one for $100, which is fully refundable.
Blue’s idea of an AI assistant that handles your tasks for you sounds promising. But we’ll have to see how well it works in practice, especially when it comes to handling your personal information.
