Honor wants to turn you into a movie director effortlessly

To overcome the physical limitations imposed by the thickness of conventional smartphones, Honor's imaging team developed an independent motorized camera system, positioned above the Robot Phone chassis. This is a 4DoF gimbal with 3-axis mechanical stabilization positioned above the device. The optical unit integrates a 200 megapixel sensor. It can pivot forward or backward depending on the situation.

According to the brand's Weibo post, the goal of this structure is to "free the camera from the confines of the phone's body so that it is no longer constrained by its size, leaving ample space for future hardware upgrades and shooting methods."

The design of this architecture presented significant technical difficulties. The teams worked for a year and produced five different versions before obtaining the current prototype.

The project required the development of the smallest micro-motor in the industry. It measures a third of a 1 euro coin. Engineers had to manage the balancing of the nacelle as well as issues related to rotational torque and stability.

Automated features for content creators

Honor describes its terminal as a product “born for video recording”. To support this orientation, the manufacturer has joined forces with the ARRI brand, a reference in the professional cinematographic sector, in order to integrate advanced image processing tools.

For beginner users, the terminal integrates multimodal artificial intelligence. It allows automatic subject tracking and offers predefined cinematic movements such as SpinShot. The smartphone also integrates AI editing tools and shooting templates. According to the manufacturer, thanks to these technologies, “without studying the parameters or practicing camera movements, an ordinary person can capture very smooth cinematic images”.

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Sustainability, price and release schedule

As with the Asus Zenfone 7 or the OnePlus 7 Pro, the presence of moving parts questions the resistance of the product. Honor states on Weibo that “The drop resistance of the first generation has already reached the flagship level, but the water resistance can still be improved. The protection features will be optimized over the long term, it’s not a one-off gadget.” Honor has therefore just confirmed that it will not be a one-shot, but a new commercial range.

The official launch of the Robot Phone is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026, with initial marketing targeted to the Chinese market during the second half of 2026. No confirmation has been made regarding further availability in Europe. The prices have not yet been definitively decided. The first indications provided to us by a brand manager point to a price of around 2000 euros.

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