ByteDance just dropped their first smartphone and honestly? It’s causing quite a stir. The Nubia M153 Doubao flew off the shelves all 30,000 units gone within 24 hours of launch in China. At 3,499 yuan (roughly $480) this isn’t just another phone with AI features slapped on. It’s a collaboration with ZTE that actually does something different.
I’ve been tracking ByteDance’s moves for a while now from their Doubao AI competing with ChatGPT to how they’ve integrated AI across their ecosystem. But jumping into hardware? That’s a whole different game. After digging into the specs and capabilities, I can see why people are hyped.
What Makes the Doubao AI Different?
Look, we’ve all used Siri , Google Assistant or Bixby. You ask them to set a timer or play music and they’re great. But the Doubao AI in this phone? It’s playing a completely different sport.
The feature they’re calling GUI proxy functionality basically lets the AI take control and do things for you. Not just open this app but actually navigate through multiple apps, compare prices, hunt down coupons and complete purchases. You literally just say find me the cheapest delivery option and order it and the AI goes to work. It’ll only ping you when it needs final confirmation.
I’m talking about real tasks too. Booking dinner reservations, editing your photos, scheduling hospital appointments, even telling your taxi driver to change routes mid-trip. This goes way beyond the usual voice command party tricks.
After testing countless AI tools and assistants over the past few years. This level of autonomy is genuinely new territory. It’s less like using a phone and more like having a personal assistant who actually knows how apps work.
The Hardware Stuff
Screen and Build
You’re getting a 6.78-inch LTPO display with 1264×2800 resolution. The adaptive refresh rate is smart. It adjusts based on what you’re doing to save battery. Size-wise. It’s 163mm tall, 77mm wide, 8.5mm thick and weighs 212g.
Having reviewed tons of phones. I’d say this hits that Goldilocks zone. Big enough that watching videos feels immersive. But not so massive you can’t use it with one hand when you’re standing on the train.
What’s Powering This Thing
Inside, there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (the Premium Edition, which is basically the slightly juiced-up version) with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage. That’s the same chip you’d find in flagship phones from last year that cost way more.
Here’s the thing about AI phones they need serious processing power. Running those AI models locally isn’t light work. So having this kind of horsepower makes sense. It’ll handle everything you throw at it. from gaming to video editing to those AI tasks running in the background.
Camera Setup Worth Talking About
This is where things get interesting. Four cameras all rocking 50MP sensors:
- Main shooter: 50MP, big 1/1.3-inch sensor, optical stabilization, f/1.68 aperture (translation: excellent in low light)
- Ultra-wide: 50MP, 12mm equivalent for those sweeping landscape shots
- Telephoto: 50MP with 60mm reach and OIS for portraits and zooming without losing quality
- Selfie cam: 50MP with autofocus (most front cameras don’t have that)
What stands out is the consistency. Most phones cheap out on the ultra-wide or telephoto, but Nubia went all-in across the board. Both the main and telephoto cameras have optical stabilization too. Which is clutch if you shoot video or photos in less-than-ideal conditions.
Battery Life and Charging
They crammed a 6000mAh battery in here. For perspective, most flagships sit around 4500-5000mAh. Translation? This thing will last.
Charging options are solid: 90W wired (crazy fast), 15W wireless and 5W reverse charging if you need to juice up your earbuds or someone else’s phone in a pinch.
As someone who’s constantly creating content and testing devices. Battery anxiety is real. A 6000mAh battery means I can actually work a full day without hunting for outlets.
The Extras
There’s NFC for payments, infrared (which is surprisingly handy for controlling TVs and AC units), ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the screen, laser autofocus for the cameras, five microphones (overkill? Maybe, but great for voice recognition), dual speakers and USB-C with 3.2 Gen1 support.
The Bigger Picture
Here’s what’s wild—people were so eager to get this phone that resale prices shot up thousands of yuan over retail. That kind of demand isn’t just hype; it shows people are genuinely curious about what AI can do when it’s baked into a phone properly.
ByteDance says they’re planning another batch before the end of 2026. But no concrete dates yet. Having watched enough tech launches. I can tell you that this kind of reception usually means something’s resonating with people beyond just specs.
My Honest Take on Nubia M153
This phone represents something bigger than just another device launch. We’ve been hearing about AI phones for a while, but most have been disappointing. Just regular phones with some AI photo filters or predictive text. The M153 actually delivers on the promise of AI making your phone smarter and more capable.
Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it available everywhere? Definitely not. But does it show where things are headed? Absolutely.
For $480, you’re getting flagship performance, an impressive camera system. Marathon battery life and AI features that actually feel futuristic rather than gimmicky. The biggest hurdle is getting your hands on one.
If ByteDance can scale production and maybe expand beyond China, this could shake up expectations across the industry. After years of incremental upgradesslightly better cameras, marginally faster processors.It’s refreshing to see something that feels genuinely different.
Whether this becomes the mainstream standard or stays a niche curiosity depends on execution. But one thing’s clear: the era of truly intelligent smartphones isn’t coming it’s already here.
