BUSINESS

In Depth: Chinese Smartphone-Makers Bet on AI Agents

Published: Jul. 21, 2026 6:46 p.m. GMT+8

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StepFun is positioning STEPX Neo as an “AI-native agent smartphone.” Photo: Yang Zirui/Caixin

Chinese smartphone makers are racing to turn artificial-intelligence (AI) agents into the next major battleground in mobile technology, unveiling devices that can independently navigate multiple apps and complete complex tasks on behalf of users.

At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Honor Device Co. Ltd., StepFun and Nubia Technology Ltd. showcased smartphones equipped with AI agents that can book tickets, arrange travel, create presentations and send messages without users manually switching between applications.

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What Happened When

December 2025：: The first "Doubao phone" was launched, integrating ByteDance's Doubao AI assistant into the Nubia M153 smartphone developed with ZTE. The device was not sold commercially.

Second quarter of 2026：: IDC data showed global smartphone shipments fell 6.7% year-on-year to 277.5 million units. Counterpoint estimated the decline was even sharper at 11%.

2026：: Industry executives say core capabilities have yet to deliver a major leap.

2026：: An investment manager said device-side AI models and computing capacity remain insufficient.

2026：: Lin said launching hardware during a weak smartphone market was a bold move.

2026：: The push into AI smartphones comes as the broader handset market faces a difficult environment.

AI generated, for reference only

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