On May 3, 2026, digital tech blogger "Smart Chip Insider" revealed that the second-generation Doubao AI smartphone is poised for release in the first half of 2026. Its standout feature will be the integration of Qualcomm’s fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. This cutting-edge device is being co-developed by ByteDance and ZTE, with ZTE Nubia taking charge of the hardware, while ByteDance spearheads the creation of the "Doubao Mobile Assistant 2.0." This intelligent assistant is designed to deeply embed large-scale AI model capabilities into the core of the operating system, aiming to pioneer an interactive experience where "AI takes charge of the smartphone on behalf of the user."

Previously, the first-generation Doubao AI smartphone (Nubia M153) made its debut in December 2025 as a limited edition of 30,000 engineering prototype units, priced at 3,499 yuan. It quickly sold out, thanks to its innovative features such as "one-sentence automatic price comparison and ordering" and "cross-application task execution," which drew significant attention from the industry.

Building on user feedback and the outcomes of ecological negotiations, the second-generation model will enhance product completeness and compatibility. It is anticipated that agreements will be reached with mainstream application providers like Alibaba, ensuring necessary permissions are granted for high-frequency usage scenarios.