ByteDance launched its Doubao smartphone assistant project in late 2025 and plans to release a new handset in mid-to-late second quarter of 2026, people familiar with the matter said. Supply chain sources said the company has set higher expectations for the new device than for the first-generation test version. The second-generation Doubao phone will again be developed in partnership with ZTE’s Nubia brand, with ZTE responsible for hardware and Doubao providing AI capabilities.
The Doubao smartphone team has been in talks with major app developers and has secured partial access permissions from several internet companies, including ride-hailing, food delivery and ticketing platforms, the sources said. Under the commercial model, handset makers will be required to pay ByteDance technology licensing fees as well as subscription fees for AI services, sources added. [Technode Reporting]
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