ByteDance’s Doubao AI phone – a limited-run handset built with ZTE’s Nubia brand – remained in hot demand and continued to receive frequent software updates, even as the device drew scrutiny over privacy and data security after its debut in early December.
ZTE’s online store briefly reopened applications on Tuesday for an “F code” – a so-called “friend code” – that granted priority access to buy the 3,499-yuan (US$497) handset.
Marketed as a “technology preview edition”, the device carried a disclaimer that it was intended for industry users seeking hands-on experience, with no guarantee of the functional completeness expected of a mature product.
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An application form also said only a limited number of units would be made available, with no plan to expand production, and that priority would be given to applicants who had previously failed to secure a device.
ByteDance had earlier said inventory was “completely unable to meet demand”.
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The Doubao AI phone team, meanwhile, has continued to push updates to the beta version, which was designed to understand natural-language commands and carry out tasks on a user’s behalf.
A publicly shared update log showed the handset was now receiving software releases about every two weeks. This week’s changes included user interface tweaks and upgrades to the Doubao assistant’s “intent recognition” – the system’s ability to infer what users wanted done.