- OpenClaw has released companion apps for iOS and Android
- Users can remotely control their self-hosted AI agents
- Initial reviews say the apps could use some refinement.
OpenClaw has launched its first official mobile applications, providing users with an alternative to the previous reliance on messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp.
Importantly, the iOS and Android apps act as add-ons to an existing OpenClaw installation rather than stand-alone assistants, much like the Codex controller that OpenAI has integrated into the ChatGPT app.
Applications connect to a self-hosted OpenClaw Gateway running on its own hardware, rather than the OpenClaw cloud, which has been key to the startup’s success.
OpenClaw now available for mobile devices
OpenClaw described three core capabilities for mobile apps: “native mobile apps, finally; agents in your pocket; and channels, tasks, and responses on the go.”
Users will be able to receive and approve AI-requested actions remotely and get status updates for ongoing workflows. Remote action activation and management are also available.
The AI agent gained popularity due to its local-first stance, allowing users to control their own gateway and ultimately reduce their dependence on big tech and insecure cloud.
But while the tool itself proved a hit, selling Mac minis in multiple regions after users rushed to buy cost-effective hardware to run the agent, its mobile app has been a bit more of a flop, at least at first.
Its Android version in particular has attracted criticism for its poor interface and usability: aesthetic drawbacks that do not detract from its core functionality.
9to5Google reports that many initial reviews are mostly negative, with the app currently holding a 2.2-star rating, amid multiple reports that the app is buggy, with users calling it “unusable,” unable to pair, and “the worst app I’ve ever used in my entire life.”
The apps were notably published by the OpenClaw Foundation, an open source project that OpenAI now supports following the hiring of OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger, who emphasized that the project would remain “open and independent.”
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