Thursday, December 18, 2025

Doubao AI Phone Sees 25% Price Plunge in Just Three Days as ‘Mainstream App Ban’ Dims Excitement

A smartphone, referred to as the “Chinese version of Jarvis,” developed by ByteDance and Nubia, has seen dramatic price fluctuations on the second-hand market. Initially priced at $486, influencer promotion drove its resale value to a peak of $907 by December 11. However, by December 14, the price slid 25% to $681 due to declining user experience. The phone’s AI assistant, designed for automated tasks like price comparisons, faced restrictions from major apps such as WeChat and Alipay, severely limiting its functionality. Analysts point out that this reflects a clash between third-party AI systems and established internet platforms unwilling to share API access, prioritizing data security. Released as a “technology preview” with only 30,000 units, all sold out, the team is now exploring partnerships with other smartphone manufacturers. This scenario highlights the challenges AI-powered smartphones face as they strive to integrate into existing digital ecosystems.

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