A prototype of Meizu’s canceled Meizu AI Cube device has appeared online, offering a rare look at the small AI-focused phone-like product that was once introduced as the Meizu 22 Next “AI Cube.” Meizu first showed the idea at its 2026 Meizu Fans New Year event in January, but the product was later pushed back indefinitely, reportedly because of the industry-wide memory price surge and other launch difficulties.
Based on the newly shared prototype photos referenced by IT Home, the actual product name printed for the device appears to be “MEIZU AI Cube.” The compact hardware reportedly uses a Unisoc T8200 chip, has a 4-inch body, and is built with a glossy polycarbonate shell rather than a more conventional large smartphone design.
The device also runs Flyme AIOS, which underlines that Meizu was not treating it as a simple mini phone. The idea was closer to a small AI companion device built around visual expression, assistant behavior, and interaction scenarios.
Earlier official material suggested that Meizu had already planned a fairly complete AI-agent interaction experience for the product. The company claimed the device would support dozens of usage scenarios and more than 100 facial-expression style interfaces, giving it a more character-driven role than a typical handset.
One of the more unusual planned uses was inside Geely-related vehicles. Meizu described the AI Cube as something that could be placed in a car and used as a “driving and riding robot,” turning the device into an in-car assistant with visible expressions and AI interaction.
That concept made the Meizu AI Cube stand out from ordinary compact Android hardware. Instead of competing directly with mainstream phones on screen size or camera hardware, it seemed aimed at combining a portable 4-inch form factor with an AI personality layer and a possible automotive use case.
The newly exposed engineering unit therefore gives a clearer sense of what Meizu had been building before the project stalled. The Unisoc T8200 platform, glossy shell, and Flyme AIOS software point to a small, self-contained AI gadget rather than a flagship smartphone.
For now, though, the product remains indefinitely delayed. The appearance of the prototype does not mean a retail launch is back on the calendar, but it does show that Meizu’s AI Cube plan had moved beyond concept slides and into working hardware before being put on hold.
