Meizu suspends smartphone development: From cult flagships to an AI ecosystem

Chinese company Meizu, once known for producing some of the most recognizable and beloved smartphones in China, has announced major changes to its business strategy. The division responsible for developing new models for the domestic market has been temporarily frozen. Instead of relying on in-house smartphone development, Meizu will now turn to external ODM and OEM partners, while focusing its core efforts on software and artificial intelligence solutions. The news was reported by iXBT, citing the company’s official statement.

A Forced Exit from Internal R&D?

Meizu emphasizes that this is not a complete withdrawal from the smartphone market. Key business operations will continue as usual. However, in-house development of new smartphone models for China has been suspended.

The company describes the move as part of a long-term strategic transformation: shifting focus from hardware to software.

At the center of the new strategy is the Flyme ecosystem. It is expected to serve as the foundation for scaling Meizu’s AI capabilities — not only in smartphones, but beyond them. Plans include adapting Flyme for a broader range of devices and industry solutions, from automotive systems to smart home and industrial applications.

A Cult Brand Changing Course

Founded in 2003, Meizu initially produced MP3 players. It entered the smartphone market in 2007 and gained widespread recognition with its flagship MX series — particularly the MX2 to MX4 models — known for their Flyme OS and near-bezel-less designs, as well as with its popular M-series budget devices.

In 2022, a controlling stake in Meizu was acquired by Geely, one of China’s largest automotive groups. Since then, Flyme Auto — the automotive version of the operating system — has been installed in dozens of vehicles from Geely, Zeekr, and other brands within the group.

Now Meizu is betting on software and AI — an area with lower competition and higher margins compared to the saturated smartphone hardware market. The shift from hardware manufacturing to software development appears to be an attempt to adapt and grow in a landscape dominated by Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Honor.

What Happens to Existing Meizu Smartphones

The company assures users that support for already released models will continue in full. Flyme updates, security patches, and service support will remain in place.

However, new smartphones developed entirely through Meizu’s internal R&D should not be expected in the near future — at least for the Chinese market.

For global markets, the situation may differ. Partner-developed (ODM/OEM) models under the Meizu brand could still appear, though without the company’s traditional in-house engineering approach.

In Brief

Meizu is suspending its in-house smartphone development for the Chinese market and shifting to collaboration with external ODM/OEM partners. The company is focusing on expanding its Flyme AI ecosystem and software solutions. Support for existing devices will continue, but new models developed internally are not expected soon. This marks a strategic pivot from hardware to software amid intense competition in the smartphone industry.