After months of leaks and speculation, Honor has finally made its robotic smartphone official. Unveiled today at a global launch event in Guangzhou, China, the Honor Robot Phone is very much a real, mass-produced device — and pre‑orders are already open in China.
Many had written it off as a concept that would never see the light of day, but Honor proved the doubters wrong. The phone’s standout feature is a fully integrated 4‑DoF (four degrees of freedom) titanium mechanical gimbal built directly into the chassis — a first for any mainstream smartphone.
Hands on Experience: Gimbal Hardware – Tiny but Mighty
The gimbal motor weighs just 2.6 grams — 65% smaller than traditional gimbals, yet Honor claims it delivers 200% stronger performance. Over 100 precision components are packed into the mechanism, with most of them on display at the launch venue. The camera can physically rotate, tilt, and track subjects at speeds up to 360° per second, drawing obvious comparisons to a scaled‑down, foldable DJI OSMO Pocket 3.
To protect the delicate gimbal, Honor has added a transparent sliding cover on the surface. Interestingly, the cover can be slid over to the standard camera side, opening the door for third‑party filter attachments — an NV filter, for example. The gimbal only operates when the phone is unfolded, and the Camera app will notify the user if something isn’t right. Despite being made of titanium, durability remains a question mark — one drop could still lead to costly repairs.
During our brief hands‑on time, the mechanism felt smooth and responsive. Thanks to the phone’s powerful chipset, subject tracking is exceptionally fast and accurate. Image stabilization clearly surpasses what traditional smartphones can achieve — a side‑by‑side comparison with a regular phone makes the difference instantly obvious.
We exported a demo clip shot on‑site using the robot phone, and the dynamic range and stability straight out of the camera are genuinely impressive.
Embodied AI and Extensibility
Honor also showcased the phone’s “embodied” AI capabilities, positioning the device as the “brain” and “eyes” for various physical add‑ons. Through the YOYO assistant, users can issue voice commands or use a joystick to make the phone walk or dance. While these accessory kits aren’t yet in mass production, Honor has committed to open‑sourcing them, allowing enthusiasts to 3D‑print their own attachments.
ARRI Partnership and Color Science
A major highlight of the event was Honor’s partnership with ARRI, the legendary cinema camera company. Together, they’ve brought ARRI’s renowned color science to the robot phone, including 10‑bit ARRI LogC3 recording with 14 stops of dynamic range and 11 built‑in ARRI Looks. This isn’t just a gimmick — Honor is positioning the device as a serious tool for content creators. The partnership will extend to the upcoming Magic 9 series, promising cinema‑level imaging upgrades across the lineup.
YOYO Pro: AI That Executes 100+ Steps
Hardware is only half the story. The real intelligence comes from YOYO Pro mode, powered by Alibaba’s Qianwen large language model. Honor has made YOYO’s service on the robot phone free for life. What’s truly impressive is YOYO’s ability to execute over 100 steps of complex tasks with a single sentence — cross‑app, cross‑ecosystem, no problem. The catch? This functionality is currently limited to the Chinese version, and Honor has confirmed that there will be no global version for the first‑generation robot phone.
Pricing
Honor has positioned the Robot Phone firmly in premium territory. The device comes in two configurations: 12GB RAM + 512GB storage priced at CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,480 / £1,100 / AU$2,100), and a higher-end 16GB RAM + 1TB storage variant at CNY 12,999 (around $1,930). It’s worth noting that early market estimates had suggested prices could exceed CNY 15,000, given the cost of the self-developed 4D gimbal mechanism. In the end, the actual pricing came in notably lower than those projections.
Pre-orders opened on August 12 at 8:30 PM, with the first sales officially kicking off on August 18 at 10:08 AM across Honor’s official store and retail outlets. The phone comes in two color options: Star Track Silver and Moon Shadow Gray.
The bad news? As we mentioned earlier, Honor has confirmed there will be no global version for the first-generation Robot Phone. For now, this one is strictly a China-exclusive. International readers interested in getting their hands on one early can check availability through GeekWills.
Final Thoughts
The Honor Robot Phone is far from perfect, but we have to respect the ambition. Turning a wild concept into a shipping product is no small feat. This is a first‑gen device in a brand‑new category, and from our early hands-on experience, it’s genuinely impressive.
Gizmochina Review’ll be bringing you a full review once a unit arrives at the studio.
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