Reportedly: ByteDance's Doubao Phone Assistant blocked from GUI automation by 151 apps including WeChat, Taobao, and Meituan
Reported by Leiphone · not yet confirmed by the company or a second independent outlet. We update this page when it is.
ByteDance's Doubao Phone Assistant will not perform GUI automation on 151 apps that declined under the Screen Automation Operation Statement Protocol, including WeChat, Taobao, and Meituan, Leiphone reported. The 30-day public comment period has ended, and developers can still opt out. The restriction applies only to automated operations, not app installation or manual use.
China context
- Original name
- 豆包手机助手
- Outside China
- Not stated in the sources yet
- Claims
- Company-reported; not yet independently evaluated
- For builders
- Developers outside China should note that Chinese app platforms can formally opt out of GUI automation, which may set a precedent for automation consent frameworks.
- For investors
- The refusal by major apps could limit the scalability of ByteDance's phone assistant automation, affecting its competitive position in the AI phone market.
Translated from Chinese. Quotes and facts link to the original sources.
ByteDance's Doubao Phone Assistant published a list of 151 apps that have refused to allow GUI automation operations, including WeChat, Taobao, Meituan, Kuaishou, and DeepSeek. The Screen Automation Operation Statement Protocol (SAEP) 30-day public comment period has ended, and the assistant will gradually open GUI automation capabilities for third-party apps, limited to those that have not declared refusal. Developers can still declare refusal after the period. For apps that refuse, Doubao Phone Assistant will not perform related operations. The refusal does not prevent these apps from being installed, logged into, or manually used on Doubao Phone devices such as Nubia M153 and Nubia NaviX Ultra.
The SAEP protocol establishes an opt-out mechanism for GUI automation, meaning app developers can block automated screen interactions. Doubao Phone Assistant uses GUI recognition and simulated clicks/swipes for automation. The list of 151 apps includes major platforms, indicating broad developer resistance to third-party automation.
App developers gain a formal opt-out from Doubao Phone Assistant's GUI automation, preserving control over their user experience and security. This limits ByteDance's ability to automate across popular apps, potentially reducing the assistant's utility and competitive position against other AI phone assistants.
For ByteDance, the refusal list constrains the Doubao Phone Assistant's cross-app automation capabilities, which may affect user adoption and the value proposition of Doubao Phone devices. For app developers, the opt-out protects their platforms from unauthorized automation.
Watch whether more apps join the refusal list after the public comment period, and whether ByteDance adjusts its automation approach or negotiates with major developers. Also monitor if other phone assistants adopt similar opt-out protocols.