ByteDance launches Doubao phone assistant consumer edition, Nubia NaviX Ultra ships September 16

On September 14, 2026, ByteDance released the consumer edition of the Doubao phone assistant, a stabilized version of the late-2025 technical preview with emphasis on reliability and everyday usability. Built on the Doubao App and integrated with handset makers at the system layer, the consumer edition supports voice and dedicated AI-key wake methods, with the AI key carrying built-in fingerprint authentication so identity-checked users can invoke tasks without a second unlock. Screen-aware Q&A is a core capability: users no longer need to take a screenshot or switch apps to let the assistant use on-screen context, with demoed scenarios including asking Doubao to recommend cabinets matching the room's decor directly inside an e-commerce app. Task execution includes ride-hailing flows that confirm the user's common address, pick a vehicle class, and dispatch the order from a single voice prompt; local search spans photos, SMS, and notes; and office scenarios integrate Feishu meeting-notes features so users can query recorded meetings in natural language. The phone-control feature is offered in Beta, alongside a new Screen Automation Execution Protocol (SAEP) that opens a 30-day public-comment period during which third-party apps can declare whether they allow AI-driven screen automation inside their apps. The first device to ship with the consumer edition is the Nubia NaviX Ultra, jointly developed by ZTE Nubia and ByteDance and marketed as the first mass-produced AI-agent phone. Pre-orders are open and the device goes on sale September 16. More than 316,000 pre-orders have been recorded on the Nubia JD flagship store alone, with industry estimates pricing the device above 5,000 yuan; the earlier engineering-sample M153 sold for 3,499 yuan and had drawn debate after some apps restricted its AI control features for safety reasons.