July 19, 2026

China is rebuilding the smartphone around AI agents. ZTE’s NaviX sold out in hours.

black wooden table and chairs
Rodeo Project Management Software / Unsplash

ZTE showcased the NaviX Ultra at the World AI Conference in Shanghai this week, calling it the world’s first agentic AI smartphone. The device, built under ZTE’s Nubia brand, runs ByteDance’s Doubao AI agent and can be activated by voice or a dedicat...