ByteDance denies hiring former Honor CEO Zhao Ming for smartphone business

ByteDance on Friday denied reports that former Honor CEO Zhao Ming was set to join the company to lead its smartphone business, after a number of media outlets suggested he would take on the role with a focus on developing an AI-driven smartphone. The TikTok owner said it is developing AI-powered software solutions for smartphones as a reference for manufacturers and currently has no plans to produce or sell its own devices. On Jan. 17, after ten years at Honor, Zhao Ming resigned as Honor’s CEO, officially for personal reasons and reportedly due to a health-related issue, with the board appointing Li Jian as his successor. [Cailianpress, in Chinese]