ZTE Corp-H

ZTE Corp. unveiled the NaviX Ultra, described as the world's first agentic AI smartphone, at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. The device launches ByteDance's Doubao assistant via voice or a dedicated button and is designed to execute instructions autonomously across multiple applications, using on-device models for low-latency tasks and cloud systems for complex requests. StepFun also introduced an AI smartphone this week, while Honor plans to launch devices later this year with an agent developed with Alibaba. Chinese manufacturers are turning to agentic AI as the global smartphone market faces its steepest-ever annual decline projected for 2026, with budget-focused brands under margin pressure. ZTE's Nubia brand previously sold out an initial 30,000-unit production run of a prototype priced at 3,499 yuan, and IDC expects AI smartphones to account for more than half of China's market in 2026.

Nvidia has begun shipping a small number of H200 chips to China, according to a senior U.S. Commerce Department official. Jeffrey Kessler told lawmakers that exports have started, though only very few chips have been delivered so far. The H200 is one of Nvidia's most powerful AI processors, making the shipments politically sensitive. Some Chinese companies, including a unit of ZTE, have reportedly received approval to buy the chips, while Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance were among firms previously cleared. The issue has reopened debate in Congress over how the U.S. is enforcing export controls.

ZTE and GSMA have signed an agreement to co-locate the 15th ZTE Global Summit & User Congress and GSMA M360 ASEAN in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in September 2026. The ZTE event will run from 8 to 9 September, while GSMA M360 ASEAN will take place from 9 to 10 September. Centered on the theme "Architecting Infinity - From Connectivity to Digital Value", the ZTE summit will feature four chapters—VISION, VOLUME, VALUE, and VENTURE—covering topics from intelligent infrastructure to real-world digital transformation case studies. The co-located events will bring together global ICT leaders, operators, government officials, analysts, and media for keynotes, panels, new product showcases, and robot performances.