HONOR launched the Robot Phone at a global launch event on 12 August — the first production phone with a motorised camera gimbal built in. It is a 200MP camera on a four-axis titanium arm, and HONOR calls it the world’s first robot phone.
The camera is the phone
The headline hardware sits on the back: a 200MP main camera (1/1.28-inch sensor, f/1.6) mounted on what HONOR describes as the industry’s smallest all-titanium 4DoF gimbal, per launch coverage. The arm rotates at up to 360 degrees per second, which is how a phone ends up with features named “AI Spinshot” (90- and 180-degree moves, one-handed) and “Tilt Locked”.
HONOR says the gimbal’s micro motor is 70% smaller than industry equivalents and the titanium structure is 200% stronger. Around the arm sit a 200MP periscope telephoto with 2.7x optical zoom and a 50MP ultra-wide. Power comes from a 7,060mAh battery with 120W wired charging, and the phone runs a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
It nods, shakes its head and dances
The gimbal gives the phone a body, and HONOR has used it. YOYO Robot Mode answers to voice and gestures, tracks any subject you double-tap, nods when it agrees, shakes its head when it does not and dances to music. The phone first appeared at MWC in March, where it seemed like a concept that might never ship; we asked whether that was exciting or terrifying at the time. HONOR’s own summary:
As the world’s first robot phone, the new ROBOT PHONE is an extremely courageous attempt, showcasing a completely new Honor to the world. It may not be perfect, but it represents Honor’s determination to break conventions and reflect the future of AI devices.
HONOR
ARRI inside
The ARRI collaboration is in the shipping product, not just the keynote. The phone carries LogC3 encoding, ARRI’s Wide Gamut 3 colour space and ARRI Looks, plus a Cinema Mode, running on HONOR’s own Yuguang H1 imaging chip. These are workflow tools from the film world — LogC3 keeps highlight and shadow data for grading, the Looks apply controlled cinema-style colour — rather than one-tap filters.
Magic 9 first look
The same event carried a first look at the Magic 9 series, HONOR’s next flagship. The camera island has moved from the centre of the back to the left, wrapped in a knurled rim that reads like a lens barrel, with ARRI branding printed beside the periscope lens. On paper it is a 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor with OIS. Full details are expected closer to a launch reported for September.
Price and availability
China pricing was reported ahead of the event at ¥7,999 (about AED 4,100) for the 12GB/256GB model and ¥11,999 (about AED 6,100) for 1TB, with pre-orders closing on 17 August. HONOR has not confirmed the figures, and the phone is China-first: as of late July the company said the global stage would come later.
What it means if you’re shopping in the UAE
HONOR is the Middle East’s No. 2 smartphone brand, per Omdia’s Q1 2026 figures — shipments up 73% year-on-year, behind only Samsung. That ranking was built on the 600 series and X9d, not on a ¥8,000 gimbal phone, and there is no confirmed UAE price or date for the Robot Phone. The nearer-term local story is the Magic 9 series, which can be expected to follow the Magic 8 Pro’s Dubai launch path once it goes global. For now the Robot Phone is the shop window: HONOR is willing to ship something this odd.
What is the HONOR Robot Phone?
The world’s first production phone with a motorised camera gimbal built in. A 200MP main camera sits on a four-axis titanium arm that rotates up to 360 degrees per second, auto-tracks subjects, and gives the phone body language — it can nod, shake its head and dance. HONOR launched it on 12 August 2026, China-first.
How much does the HONOR Robot Phone cost?
Reported Chinese pricing is ¥7,999 (about AED 4,100) for the 12GB/256GB model and ¥11,999 (about AED 6,100) for 1TB, with pre-orders closing on 17 August. HONOR has not confirmed the figures, and no global or UAE price has been announced.
What is the Magic 9 series first look?
HONOR teased its next flagship at the Robot Phone event. The Magic 9’s camera island moves to the left of the back panel with a knurled lens-barrel rim, ARRI branding and a 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor with OIS on paper. Full details are expected around a September launch.
