On July 15, we exclusively learned that ByteDance, in collaboration with ZTE Nubia, is set to launch multiple models of its first AI agent smartphone (the “Doubao AI agent smartphone”) this year. One of these models will be unveiled during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, with total stock planned at approximately 200,000 units and an initial batch of fewer than 100,000 units.
We reached out to ZTE for confirmation on this news, but as of press time, there was no response from the company.
Previously, the first-generation Doubao phone (the Nubia M153 technical preview version) was released on December 1, 2025. It was primarily positioned as an “engineering prototype,” so production was extremely limited—only about 30,000 units in the first batch—and no additional units were manufactured after it sold out. On the second-hand market, prices for the Doubao phone once soared to as high as 7,999 yuan, far exceeding its official price of 3,499 yuan.
A supply chain insider told us that the initial stock for this new generation is far larger than the previous one, with some components exceeding a million units. Due to rising costs for upstream components, the production plan has been adjusted multiple times, from an initial 300,000 units down to around 200,000 units. (Written by Li Jiaqi)