On December 19, multiple tech media sources reported that ByteDance is making strides in collaborating with hardware makers like vivo, Lenovo, and Transsion on AI-powered smartphones. The strategy entails pre-installing AIGC plugins on devices from these manufacturers to secure user access points and enhance the current, somewhat passive, implementation of AI. Several employees at vivo have verified that vivo and ByteDance have indeed cemented their partnership, with both sides actively negotiating the specifics of their collaboration.

An insider at Lenovo disclosed that Lenovo Group has been engaging in robust cooperation with ByteDance’s various business units, including Doubao and Volcano Engine, especially within the realm of intelligent terminals. ByteDance’s initiative is geared towards forging new avenues for monetizing traffic by sharing revenue generated from traffic distribution and membership subscriptions with smartphone manufacturers. This approach explores a cooperative model that eliminates custom development fees and revenue sharing from Token sales.

The collaboration blueprint will initially target mid-range smartphone models priced over 2,000 yuan. It will kick off with pre-installations on new devices and later expand to existing models through OTA (Over-The-Air) updates. ByteDance has set an ambitious internal goal of reaching 150 to 200 million devices, with its strong overseas channel presence expected to be a pivotal area for deployment.

Currently, ByteDance’s AI smartphone project team boasts a membership exceeding 1,000 individuals. Earlier discussions between ByteDance and OPPO did not culminate in a cooperation pact. Among ByteDance’s partners, ZTE stands out as the only officially announced collaborator, while Meizu Technology has also taken the initiative to propose a partnership.

ByteDance clarified that its Doubao application is involved in assistant-level collaborations with numerous smartphone manufacturers and categorically denied any intentions of developing smartphones independently.