- Honor is currently negotiating a "Doubao phone" partnership with ByteDance, having previously shelved initial contacts over concerns regarding system stability and the risk of user complaints.
- Chinese smartphone manufacturers are accelerating the deployment of large model-driven, AI-native systems.
Chinese smartphone maker Honor is currently engaged in talks with ByteDance regarding a deep collaboration on the "Doubao phone," signaling a trend of top-tier handset manufacturers accelerating their push into the AI smartphone arena.
Local media outlet Lanjinger reported the plan on Monday, stating that ByteDance had prioritized reaching out to Honor before launching its first-generation product. However, Honor temporarily shelved the initiative due to concerns over system stability risks for its hundreds of millions of users.
The core functionality of the Doubao phone assistant lies in acquiring system-level operational permissions, enabling it to "see" screen content and perform clicks and swipes on behalf of the user.
Honor previously considered this technological approach immature, fearing that any flaws in the underlying operating system could trigger massive user complaints and a public relations crisis, according to Lanjinger.
However, the industry landscape has shifted dramatically within just six months. Competition relying solely on hardware capabilities, such as basic specs and imaging power, is no longer sufficient to drive significant performance growth for manufacturers.
The task-execution capabilities of large model-driven agents are emerging as the new battleground, prompting major smartphone makers to pivot swiftly from cautious observation to aggressive strategic deployment.
In a report last month, Deutsche Bank pointed out that system-level AI agents will become the next major traffic gateway and fundamentally rewrite distribution rules.
Tech companies that master and control dominant AI agents will be able to effectively dictate the core allocation of next-generation consumer traffic and attention resources, Deutsche Bank analysts noted.
ByteDance's Doubao phone adopts a vision-centric approach, utilizing cloud-based large models to analyze screenshots and control smart devices much like a remote user.
This stands in stark contrast to Xiaomi's system-level native agent, Miclaw, launched early last month, which directly controls dozens of system-level tools through deep integration.
Faced with market competition, Honor has noticeably accelerated its AI strategic layout. The company is currently stepping up internal R&D for native system-level AI applications and projects similar to OpenClaw, according to Lanjinger.
The company previously announced a $10 billion investment over five years, committing to a phased, comprehensive transformation into a world-leading AI terminal ecosystem company.
Market research firm IDC previously forecast that shipments of next-generation AI smartphones in China will reach 147 million units in 2026, accounting for 53% of total smartphone shipments.
However, there are also skeptical voices within the industry, arguing that the true core competitiveness of AI phones lies in addressing actual user needs, rather than masking a lack of hardware innovation.
