By Gabby Chen

(JW Insights) May 9 -- Xiaodu Technology (小度科技), the artificial intelligence-powered voice assistant unit of Chinese tech giant Baidu, is to enter the mobile phone market with the launch of its smartphone later this month, targeting the children's education market, according to reports from China Daily and JW Insights

The upcoming Xiaodu smartphone will feature a 720p resolution screen and will be powered by a processor from UNISOC(紫光展锐), China's leading IC design company. The device will also come equipped with abundant educational resources from Baidu, which will be pre-installed on the phone, the JW Insights report noted.

The company said the device will integrate the company's capacities in AI-related technologies, calling it "a new species" in the smartphone segment, and more product details will be announced next week, said the China Daily report.

Xiaodu is the developer of DuerOS, a voice assistant system based on AI that supports television, speakers and other smart home appliances. Baidu said in its latest financial earnings that Xiaodu smart home systems were linked with more than 200 million units of devices covering 70 categories of smart household appliances and 1,200 well-known brands last year.

Xiaodu topped the list in smart speaker shipments in China for the first three quarters of 2022, said market research firm International Data Corp. The company has expanded its product portfolio including smart screens, tablets, headsets and televisions, said China Daily.

Baidu ventured into the smartphone market by launching its first cloud phone product - Baidu Cloud Phone Flagship Version - in November 2020. The device was designed to cater to individual users who require high-performance capabilities for running massive applications and games. However, the product has received a tepid response from the market since its release, said the JW Insights report.