AI has become one of the biggest selling points for modern smartphones, but most implementations still work as assistants that respond only when users ask for help. They can summarize notifications, generate text, edit photos, or transcribe conversations, yet every action still requires a prompt. With the new nubia NaviX Ultra, the company wants to move beyond that model by introducing what it calls the world’s first AI agent smartphone. But what about the design? Is it just me, or does it resemble a Google Pixel?
Rather than functioning as another collection of AI-powered features, the NaviX Ultra is designed around a system-level AI agent capable of understanding context and performing multi-step tasks across different applications. According to nubia, the phone can chain actions together on behalf of the user instead of waiting for individual commands for every step. The announcement was made during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai, where the device also received the prestigious SAIL Award for AI innovation.
The NaviX Ultra builds on the foundation laid earlier this year by the limited-edition nubia M153, developed together with ByteDance. That device, featuring the Doubao AI assistant, reportedly sold out its initial batch of 30,000 units on launch day in China. The new model takes that partnership further by integrating Doubao directly into the operating system, allowing the AI to interact across multiple apps and services instead of remaining confined to a standalone assistant.
While nubia has yet to reveal the phone’s full technical specifications, it has already showcased its hardware design. The NaviX Ultra features a flat metal frame, ultra-thin display bezels, a centered punch-hole front camera, and a distinctive horizontal rear camera module housing three sensors. A dedicated orange AI shortcut button sits on the side frame, highlighting the phone’s AI-first approach. It will be available in four color options: Blue Horizon, Black, Dreamscape, and White. The design feels very similar to a Google Pixel, with that elongated pill for the camera area.
The biggest question surrounding the NaviX Ultra is not its hardware, but whether its AI agent can genuinely deliver on its promise of autonomous operation.
via Yanko Design
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