Honor Unveils World’s First Robotic Smartphone with AI-Powered Moving Camera

Shenzhen-based smartphone maker Honor Device Co. unveiled its Honor Robot Phone in Guangzhou yesterday, introducing a flagship device with a motorized camera that can physically move, track subjects and respond to users through AI.

Honor, which was spun off as an independent business from Huawei Technologies in 2020, describes the device as the world's first robotic smartphone. Its defining feature is a compact mechanical gimbal integrated into the phone, allowing the camera to extend from the device and move independently rather than remaining fixed in place.

Honor CEO James Li displays the new Honor Robot Phone during its launch event in Guangzhou on Wednesday. Courtesy of Honor

The camera can automatically follow a person while recording video, livestreaming or making a video call. Users can also control it through voice commands and gestures, while the phone's YOYO AI assistant can adjust shooting angles and carry out certain tasks across supported apps and system settings.

Honor is positioning the device as an example of "embodied AI" — artificial intelligence that can interact with the physical world through moving hardware rather than operating solely through software on a screen. In practical terms, the Robot Phone gives its AI system a movable camera that can perceive and respond to its surroundings.

Imaging is another major focus of the device. Honor has partnered with German cinema technology company ARRI to incorporate selected elements of ARRI's professional image science and filmmaking workflow into the phone. ARRI said the Honor Robot Phone is the first consumer device to use selected ARRI Image Science technologies under the companies' "co-engineered with ARRI" partnership.

The technologies include ARRI LogC3, which preserves more image information for post-production, as well as ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and a selection of ARRI Looks for color treatment. The phone's main 200-megapixel camera is mounted on the motorized gimbal, while the camera system also includes telephoto and ultra-wide lenses.

Visitors try out Honor Robot Phone at an experience zone during its launch event in Guangzhou on Wednesday. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

Honor Robot Phone is initially being released in China in two configurations. The 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version is priced at 9,999 yuan (US$1,483), while the 16GB+1TB model costs 12,999 yuan. Pre-orders began at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, with sales scheduled to start at 10:08 a.m. Aug. 18 through Honor's online and offline retail channels.

Honor said Robot Phone users will receive lifetime complimentary access to its YOYO AI Membership SVIP benefits. Early buyers will also receive one year of gimbal replacement coverage, while purchasers of the 16GB+1TB version will receive one year of 2TB cloud storage.

At the launch, Honor also opened reservations for its upcoming Magic9 flagship series, which is scheduled to debut in September. The company said the series will feature an upgraded YOYO assistant and further imaging technology developed through its collaboration with ARRI.