Honor has released a new smartphone that features a mechanical, motorized camera gimbal. This device, branded as the Robot Phone, utilizes embodied artificial intelligence to track users during video calls and live streams by automatically panning and tilting the lens to keep the subject in frame. The mechanism, which unfolds from the back of the phone, requires 100 precision components and over 60 distinct manufacturing steps to assemble.
This release represents a strategic shift for the Shenzhen-based company as it attempts to capture market interest within a slowing global smartphone sector. By integrating physical movement into the hardware, Honor intends to differentiate its product from standard devices that rely exclusively on software-based image stabilization.
Beyond the robotic hardware, the company has partnered with the German firm Arri to tune the handset's imaging output for professional mobile creators. The device will be available to consumers in mainland China starting this week with a base price of 9,999 yuan, or approximately 1,482 US dollars. This move positions the brand at the high end of the market while emphasizing the hardware-software connection as a primary competitive advantage.