ZTE Denies Reports That It Will Move Its Phone Business Into a Joint Venture

ZTE has denied reports that it plans to move its smartphone business into a joint venture with a large internet company and state owned investors. In a statement to Chinese media on November 3, the company said the reports were inaccurate.

What is known

Online speculation has linked the reported deal to ByteDance. ZTE has not named any partner, and it has not confirmed any change to how its phone business is owned or run. According to reports of its statement, ZTE may take legal action over the claims.

What to watch

A formal filing, a named partner or a change in ZTE's phone brands would change the picture. Until then, the reports rest on speculation, and we will only report a sale or joint venture once the companies confirm it.