Vertu‘s Alphafold, starting at $6,880, pairs luxury materials with the Hermes Agent AI assistant, targeting executives who want a digital aide for document analysis, trip planning, and task automation. TechCrunch tested the device as an executive tool rather than a typical smartphone, comparing it to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 running Gemini.

Physically, the Alphafold uses calfskin leather and titanium accents but shares its underlying hardware platform with the $1,100 ZTE Nubia Fold, a fact Vertu confirmed via a specialist supply-chain partnership. The device is noticeably heavier at 264 grams versus Samsung’s 215 grams, and lacks wireless charging.

Hermes Agent, built on the open-source Hermes project, is designed for multi-step workflows. In testing, it autonomously sent messages, enabled Do Not Disturb, and opened navigation, but set a reminder for the wrong time. Gemini asked clarifying questions and produced the correct outcome. For a business trip planning test, Hermes could not find flights and created a calendar entry for wrong dates; Gemini suggested alternatives. Hermes analyzed a local spreadsheet correctly initially, but days later could not recall the file, while Gemini retained context.

Vertu offers specialist AI agents for legal and investment advice, plus a human concierge escalation option, but the article notes these are starting points requiring independent verification. Conversations are encrypted and not used for model training, with an optional private infrastructure for enterprise deployments and a dedicated A5 security chip.

The Alphafold‘s battery lasts over a day, and it includes a document scanning mode in its camera app. The article concludes that while ambitious, the Alphafold‘s premium over devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is difficult to justify, especially with the Z Fold 8 expected soon.