Music players were the prime point of Meizu's innovations in 2003, until they moved to making smartphones in 2008. The transition has been successful ever since, as sales reached the highest level at 98% in 2023. In a new turn of events, the Chinese company has decided to no longer make them and may pull the plug on any upcoming series. They made the announcement on February 18th, and indicated a shift in focus to the AI industry.
The company's move is not unexpected with the smartphone market becoming more saturated, and product demands at its relatively lowest point. More and more people are realizing the pointlessness of phone upgrades, which is costly for businesses when their primary purpose is to make more options for you to buy.
Why is Meizu abandoning the traditional smartphone business?
In his announcement video, CEO of Xingji Meizu Group, Shen Ziyu, said that smartphones no longer meet consumer demand solely through hardware upgrades and traditional competitive parameters. He also stated the necessity for a new industry direction.
The mobile phone industry is becoming more and more like the computer industry. The products are organized smoothly and without lag, and have full functions for taking pictures and taking care of them. It takes an average of 51 months for consumers to upgrade to new ones. Everyone finds that it is enough.
Shen Ziyu, CEO of Xingji Meizu Group
Although Meizu isn't abandoning smartphone production completely, it will prioritize making phone form products that strongly integrate AI into their performance — think something similar to Humane's AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 assistant concepts.
The AI Pin is a wearable device that offers touch and gesture control while cutting out smartphone use. Meanwhile, Rabbit's R1 companion is a pocket-sized device that offers voice control and doesn't have traditional apps. Deutsche Telekom is also working on its own app-less phone, and plans to unveil it at the Mobile World Congress (MWC2024).
Already, Meizu has released what it claims to be the world's lightest AR glasses. The fashionable eyewear weighs 71g and incorporates vivid full-color imagery. It runs on the FlymeAR operating system (OS), and offers diverse applications including gaming, education, navigation, and productivity.
The announcement video details that Meizu will transform the existing FlymeOS to an intelligent model for its customers. It will happen later this year, and the company will also introduce a brand new AI terminal product to bring a more immersive experience to core users. This change will continue for the next few years without affecting old-timers.
What does Meizu’s new plan mean for consumers?
The Meizu phones you already know and have will continue to sell and receive hardware support. However, if you plan on buying a new smartphone, the Meizu 21 series is expected to be the last major release. It launched in November 2023, with the Meizu 21 Pro, Meizu 22, and Meizu 23 series still in the works at the time. It's unclear whether the brand will launch them eventually, or scrap them.
