Doubao Phone Sells Out in Minutes, Sparks Frenzy in Secondhand Market
The AI Phone Craze Begins
The tech world has a new obsession - ByteDance and ZTE's Doubao Phone sold out its entire first production run of 30,000 units within minutes of launch. What makes this engineering prototype so special? It's one of the first smartphones built around an AI assistant from the ground up.
Why Everyone Wants One
Priced at 3,499 yuan (about $500), the nubia M153 model comes pre-loaded with the Doubao assistant that can perform remarkable feats:
- Multimodal activation through app, voice command, or dedicated AI button
- Contextual awareness that can identify locations from photos and suggest nearby spots
- Automated shopping that compares prices across platforms before purchase
- Workplace functionality handling leave requests and travel applications via voice
The phone even pairs with special Doubao earphones for seamless voice interaction throughout your day.
Secondhand Market Goes Wild
Despite ByteDance's warnings about the assistant's unfinished state, demand has gone through the roof. On secondary markets like Xianyu, prices have doubled in some cases - with markups reaching 1,500 yuan above retail. Tech enthusiasts appear willing to pay premium prices to get their hands on this glimpse into our AI-powered future.
Privacy Concerns Addressed
The company has responded to early privacy worries, clarifying that the assistant requires explicit user permission before accessing screen content and doesn't store this data. Regular bi-weekly software updates promise to refine both functionality and security measures.
What's Next for AI Phones?
ByteDance plans to introduce an "Operate Phone Pro" mode for more complex tasks as they continue developing the assistant's reasoning capabilities. For now, the Doubao Phone serves as both a practical tool and a bold statement about where smartphone technology is heading.
Key Points:
- Instant sellout of initial 30,000 unit production run
- Resale prices reaching double MSRP on secondary markets
- AI integration goes beyond typical voice assistants with contextual awareness
- Bi-weekly updates planned to enhance functionality and address concerns