Katarzyna Petru
Nothing has impressed me like this for a long time. Seriously. As I browse through the latest smartphone releases, one might conclude that all manufacturers are following the same, safe path – the same shapes, the same camera setups, increasingly higher numbers, but zero excitement. And then suddenly Honor appears, saying: “check this out.” And it presents Robot Phone – a device that turns the norms upside down.
A smartphone that moves on its own
At first glance – nothing extraordinary. At the front, a classic screen, at the back, a camera module. But a closer look reveals that this module… is alive. Literally. The camera is mounted on a robotic arm, reminiscent of a miniature gimbal, like the ones we know from the DJI Osmo Pocket series. The whole assembly can move, track objects, rotate, and record from entirely new perspectives. This is not just a regular marketing trick – it’s a return to an idea that Asus Zenfone 6 once attempted to develop, but this time in a futuristic, precisely designed form.
AI with Character
Robot Phone is not just a hardware curiosity. Honor clearly suggests that inside it sits a full-fledged artificial intelligence that will be capable of more than just recognising a smile. In the teaser, we see how the camera on a boom reacts to the user – as if it has its own personality. It’s a bit like a combination of a smartphone, a voice assistant, and a small companion robot that “lives” beside you. In Asia, such ideas – robots designed to help combat loneliness – are gaining increasing popularity. Honor simply combined this trend with a phone that we always have with us.
Selfie from the Future
Thanks to the movable module, the camera can operate at almost any angle – meaning that selfies, vlogs, or travel reports will look completely different. There's no need to hold the phone, rotate it, or search for a tripod. Just say, "record me," and the camera will find you, frame the shot, and ensure image stability. It sounds a bit like a scene from a science fiction film, but this is precisely the direction the industry is heading – a true integration of technology with movement and emotion.
When will we see the full presentation?
So far, Honor has only shown a teaser, but even this short material was enough to elicit a "wow" effect. The official premiere of the Honor Robot Phone is scheduled for March 2026 during MWC in Barcelona. If they show exactly what was suggested in the teaser there – we may be witnessing one of the most interesting premieres in smartphone history.
I don't know about you, but I really haven't seen something this fresh in a long time.
Honor has not only reinvented the phone – it has given it a personality.
