Honor Unveils Robotic Camera Phone and Teases Humanoid Robot at MWC

Honor is betting on bold hardware innovation to carve out space against heavyweight rivals like Samsung and Apple, unveiling a smartphone with a robotic camera module and previewing its first humanoid robot at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The company’s “Robot Phone,” first teased last October, features a camera mounted on a small motorized arm that extends from the device body. Designed with content creators in mind, the camera can automatically track subjects in motion and respond to voice commands through Honor’s AI assistant — even “nodding” to signal yes or no. Honor said it plans to release the device commercially in China in the second half of the year.

The concept underscores Honor’s strategy of standing out in a smartphone market saturated with similar-looking devices. As hardware improvements become incremental, manufacturers are seeking eye-catching innovations to justify upgrades — particularly in the premium tier.

The launch comes at a challenging time for the industry. A global shortage and sharp price increases in memory chips are expected to push device prices higher and potentially weigh on smartphone demand in 2026.

Alongside the Robot Phone, Honor introduced the Magic V6, its latest foldable flagship. At 8.75 millimeters thick when folded, the device is slimmer than its predecessor and comparable in thickness to leading high-end slab phones. The Magic V6 packs one of the largest batteries currently available in a smartphone and runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

Foldables remain dominated by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line, but Honor is aiming to gain ground in the premium segment with ultra-thin designs and high-end specifications. The Magic V6 will launch in China in March, followed by international markets later in the year. Pricing details have not yet been disclosed.

Despite strong brand recognition in China — where Honor finished the year as the sixth-largest smartphone vendor with just over 13% market share — the company remains a smaller player abroad. In Europe, its 2025 market share stood at 3%, though it recently broke into the region’s top five vendors, largely driven by mid-range device sales.

Industry analysts view the Robot Phone reveal as partly a branding exercise designed to generate buzz. While the novelty may attract attention, translating that excitement into sales — especially if the device is expensive or bulky — could prove challenging.

In addition to smartphones, Honor briefly showcased a humanoid robot concept, offering limited details but signaling broader ambitions beyond consumer electronics. The company said the robot would focus on retail assistance, workplace inspections and companionship functions.

The teaser places Honor among a growing list of Chinese technology firms exploring robotics. As competition intensifies in smartphones and AI capabilities advance, companies are increasingly branching into adjacent hardware categories.

For Honor, the message is clear: innovation — even unconventional innovation — is central to its effort to strengthen its premium positioning and expand its presence beyond China.