Doubao Phone Assistant Technical Preview Debuts as First True System-Level AI, Nubia Demo Phone Priced at 3,499 RMB

On December 1, 2025, ByteDance officially released the technical preview of Doubao Phone Assistant, marking the first deep OS-level collaboration between an AI developer and a smartphone manufacturer. The accompanying Nubia M153 engineering prototype, priced at just 3,499 RMB, went on sale the same day and serves as the first device to showcase this near “AI-native” experience.

Unlike conventional AI assistant apps limited to answering questions, Doubao Phone Assistant is embedded directly into the system layer with full permissions. It can read on-screen content in real time, understand images, and execute complex cross-app tasks such as price comparison and one-click purchasing across e-commerce platforms, remote vehicle control, or automating multi-step enterprise workflows. Users can activate it through voice commands or a dedicated side AI key, and the assistant retains memory to handle chained operations. A forthcoming Pro mode will further enhance execution efficiency by calling external toolchains, while all privacy-sensitive data undergoes strict desensitization processing.

The Nubia M153 demo phone features flagship-grade hardware including the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and a 6.78-inch LTPO display, allowing it to function as a practical daily driver despite its engineering status. Doubao emphasized that it has no plans to develop its own smartphones and is actively expanding similar partnerships with multiple manufacturers. The announcement triggered strong market reaction, with ZTE Corporation’s A-shares hitting the daily limit and its Hong Kong-listed shares rising approximately 11.65%.

Source: Zhidongxi