The next-generation BeanPod phone is delayed in its release due to filing approval, with key supply chain partners such as BOE, Desay, and Truly revealed.
According to Dynamic Beating monitoring, the AI Bean phone jointly developed by ZTE and Bytedance has been delayed in release due to regulatory approval processes. Insiders revealed that this phone initiated the record-filing certification process in January 2026. Due to the disapproval in the initial application round, it is currently still in the record-filing status. The new device's market launch requires simultaneous approval from the Cyberspace Administration of China for large-scale model record-filing and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for mobile network access certification. If the subsequent approvals go smoothly, the earliest possible release will be in July to August 2026, while the market had previously expected it to launch in the second quarter of this year.
Exposed alongside the release delay are the details of the new device's core supply chain. The screen supplier has been changed from Visionox to BOE Technology. The battery is provided by Desay Battery and uses ATL battery cells, with Desay Battery being a key supplier of battery management systems for Apple and Samsung. The overall manufacturing is undertaken by Chino-E Communication, a company listed on the A-share market under Furi Electronics, which is also a long-term OEM factory for ZTE and Nubia.
Due to platforms such as Tencent and Alibaba not yet granting permission, the new generation Bean phone is currently unable to access cross-application data. The data barriers of major platforms have also led the AI phone down different technological paths. Tracery and OpenAI have chosen to "de-appify," directly building a native AI operating system without apps. The Bean phone has opted for an enhanced solution retaining traditional apps, embedding large-scale models deep into the system's infrastructure. However, this has led to the user experience being heavily dependent on whether external platforms open up their data.
