Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

No. The sources behind the “end of smartphones” claim do not show Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Sam Altman making a joint announcement that phones are ending. They describe separate ideas: Zuckerberg has discussed smart glasses as a possible future computing platform, while Altman said a hardware project with Jony Ive was not a phone. Tim Cook offered a clear counterpoint: “We see the smartphone lasting a very long time.”

Where the “end of smartphones” claim comes from

A June 1, 2025 HIGHLIGHT video groups comments and projects from prominent technology executives into a shared post-smartphone narrative. That framing is more dramatic than the evidence: the cited remarks were made separately and do not amount to a joint declaration. The video and its description are best read as commentary tying together distinct developments, not as proof of an agreed prediction.

That distinction matters. Saying a company is exploring a new kind of computing device is not the same as saying smartphones are obsolete, and a device being designed not to look like a phone does not establish that it can replace one.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What the executives actually said

Mark Zuckerberg: glasses as a possible next platform

In a 2025 Stripe Sessions conversation, Zuckerberg described smartphones as useful computers people carry throughout the day for communication, entertainment and other tasks. He also discussed Meta’s ambition to shape a next computing platform, including augmented-reality glasses and glasses that could use what the wearer sees and hears. His remark, “Now everyone has a computer in their pocket that they can bring with them all day long,” recognizes the phone’s present utility; his discussion of glasses is a future-facing strategy, not an announcement that phones are finished. Watch or read the Stripe Sessions conversation.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
Motorola Moto g - 2026 | Unlocked | Made for US 4/128GB | 50MP Camera | Pantone Slipstream, Cellular_Phone
  • Universal unlocked. Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other prepaid carriers.
  • Super-bright, super-smooth 6.7" display. See your screen clearly even outdoors in sunlight, and enjoy seamless views with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display.*
  • AI-powered camera system. Take stunning photos in any light with the 50MP camera**, look your best with a 32MP selfie cam*****, and capture extreme close-ups.
  • Superfast 5G performance. Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed*** with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost****.
  • Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging. Power through day after day with a 5200mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.****

Sam Altman: a project that was not a phone

Axios reported in September 2024 that Altman described his hardware project with former Apple design chief Jony Ive as not being a phone. Altman said, “I don’t think you should try to do a better phone,” and described the project as “a long way away.” Those comments do not establish that a product has shipped, when it might arrive, or that it will replace a smartphone. Axios’s report provides the context for the remarks.

Elon Musk: no verified support for the joint-announcement claim

The sources reviewed for this claim do not establish a specific, attributable statement by Musk announcing that smartphones are ending or backing a joint declaration with Zuckerberg and Altman. Without a direct source for such a statement, it should not be attributed to him.

Rank #2
Sale
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Smart Phone 128GB US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty Black | Large AMOLED, High-Res Camera, Durable Design, Super Fast Charging, Expandable Storage, Circle to Search, 2025
  • YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
  • LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
  • MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
  • NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
  • BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.

Tim Cook: a direct counterpoint

Asked whether an AI device might soon replace smartphones, Apple CEO Tim Cook told WIRED: “We see the smartphone lasting a very long time.” He also said more innovation would come. That is Cook’s view, not proof of what the market will do, but it directly contradicts the idea that all of the named executives have announced phones are about to disappear. Read WIRED’s interview with Cook.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Are smart glasses replacing phones now?

No evidence cited here shows that they are. Smart glasses are a real, commercially available product category, but their existence does not prove that they can take over a phone’s everyday role. The Associated Press reported on September 24, 2026, that a newest generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses was available, with prices starting at $449 at the time of its report. That is a dated starting price, not a current price guarantee or evidence of phone replacement. The AP report also covers other Meta wearable and virtual-reality announcements; their availability and timing may change.

Rank #3
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G 128GB Cell Phone, Unlocked Android Smartphone, Large AMOLED Display, Durable Design, Super Fast Charging, Expandable Storage, US Version, 2025, Blue Black (Renewed)
  • Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
  • 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
  • Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
  • 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
  • US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.

What would it take for a device to replace a smartphone?

A credible replacement claim depends on what a device can do in practice, not just on its novelty or its use of AI. These are the useful questions to ask when judging smart glasses or another wearable:

  • Task coverage: Which jobs can it perform on its own, and which still depend on a phone or cloud service?
  • Input and output: Does it offer a practical alternative to a phone’s screen and touch controls through voice, camera, audio, gestures or a wearable display?
  • Everyday practicality: Are comfort, battery life, privacy and accessibility suitable for regular use?
  • Independence and maturity: Is it commercially available and supported where the reader lives, and can it work without a companion phone?

The cited sources do not provide a controlled product test or a complete specification comparison, so they cannot answer those questions for a particular pair of glasses. They establish that wearable hardware is being developed and sold, not that it matches a smartphone’s capabilities.

Rank #4
Sale
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Smart Phone 128GB, US 1 Yr Manufacturer Warranty Blue | Large AMOLED, High-Res Camera, Durable Design, Super Fast Charging, Expandable Storage, Circle to Search, 2025
  • YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
  • LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
  • MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
  • NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
  • BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What can be concluded about the future of smartphones?

The evidence supports a narrower conclusion than the headline: technology companies are exploring new ways to interact with computing, including glasses and AI-oriented hardware. It does not verify a joint announcement by Zuckerberg, Musk and Altman that smartphones are ending. Altman’s cited project was described as a long way away in 2024, and Cook expects smartphones to last a long time. No suitable market statistic or adoption forecast in the cited sources establishes when—or whether—wearables will displace phones.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
Tracfone Motorola Moto G 2025, 64GB, Saphire Blue (Locked to
  • Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
  • DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
  • CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
  • PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
  • BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.