ZTE nubia NaviX Ultra launched, world's first Agentic AI Smartphone

ZTE continues to push boundaries in smartphones with the new NaviX Ultra, the world's first agentic AI smartphone.

ZTE nubia NaviX Ultra in four colorways

Is this the future of smartphones?

At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, ZTE's nubia unveiled the NaviX Ultra. A device advertised to go beyond traditional AI assistants by fundamentally rethinking the smartphone interface.

Unlike conventional phones with app grids and manual tapping, the NaviX Ultra eliminates the traditional home screen and app store paradigm. Instead, it centers on ByteDance's Doubao Ai as the primary interface. User activates via a dedicated orange side button or simple voice commands. Doubao then maps tasks to a sequence of actions, handling everything from photo editing and map creation to complex travel planning autonomously across apps.

The NaviX ultra features a premium design with exceptionally thin bezels, a centered punch-hole display, and a flat metal frame. Its rear camera module adopts a horizontal bar housing a triple-camera setup with an elongated LED flash. The device is available in four distinct colorways: Black, Pink, White, and Blue, or Blue Horizon. It also incorporates advanced haptic feedback solutions for enhanced user interaction.

ZTE nubia NaviX Ultra's horizontal camera bar

While full technical specifications have not been officially detailed as of the WAIC unveiling, the phone is expected to deliver flagship-level performance suitable for demanding AI workloads. Industry observers anticipate a high-end processor, substantial RAM, and a large-capacity battery with fast charging to support continuous operations. However, exact figures on the chipset, storage variants, camera resolutions, and pricing are yet to be confirmed by ZTE.

This launch aligns with a broader trend in China's smartphone market, where AI devices are projected to dominate. 

ZTE nubia NaviX Ultra key specs and highlights

• ByteDance's Doubao mobile assistant with full agentic capabilities for multi-step task execution
• High refresh rate AMOLED panel with narrow bezels
• Slim metal frame with ultra-thin bezels, centered punch-hole front camera, dedicated orange AI side button, and Horizontal triple ear camera bar
• Black, Pink, White, or Blue colorways

There is no word yet whether it will come to market, and as such, no price has been revealed.

What do you guys think?

Source: Bloomberg, Yanko Design, Via: AIWeekly