Honor's Wild New Robot Phone Packs A Gimbal Cam That Follows You
They doggone did it. Honor has gone ahead with producing the Robot Phone (in China anyway), a smartphone centered around a motorized, pop-up camera gimbal. Starting at ¥9,999 (approximately $1,480), the device merges flagship Android hardware with mechanical robotics to target content creators and mobile filmmakers.
No doubt the most defining feature of the Robot Phone is its miniature, three-axis mechanical gimbal system which swivels out from its dock in the rear where a traditional camera hump would be. Constructed with titanium, the 4-DoF gimbal weighs just 0.09 ounces (26 grams, including the motor, no less), with the arm providing physical stabilization and 360-degree rotation. Like any consumer gimbal camera, the camera can execute automated dynamic filming modes, including FPV views, tilt locks, and AI SpinShots that perform rotational sweeps while recording. Integrated AI algorithms enable automated subject tracking, allowing the camera to pan and tilt to keep subjects framed during movement.
On a slightly cringier note, Honor infused the motorized arm with expressive personality traits accessible through YOYO Robot Mode. Activated via voice commands or physical hand gestures, the gimbal can cock its head, nod to confirm commands, shake side-to-side, or bop along to musical beats. Honor also partnered with robotics developers like Seeed Studio to offer open-source hardware kits, allowing the Robot Phone to dock inside mobile robot bodies and function as their primary central brain and sensor suite.
As for the camera hardware itself, there are some mighty impressive specs going on. The gimbal is bestowed with a 200-megapixel primary sensor, accompanied on the main body by a second 200MP periscopic telephoto lens and a 50MP ultra-wide. Through a partnership with cinema equipment maker ARRI, the phone incorporates ARRI Image Science, supporting professional ARRI Cinema LogC3 recording and ARRI Wide Gamut 3 workflows meant to deliver cinematic dynamic range, natural color rendering, and RAW video export capabilities directly to mobile creators.
Within the 0.38-inch (9.7mm)-thick frame, the Robot Phone is driven by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of non-expandable storage. The device sports a relatively compact 6.31-inch OLED display with a peak brightness of up to 6,800 nits. Moreover, there's also a 7,060mAh battery that supports 120W wired and 50W wireless charging, running MagicOS on top of Android 16.
Pre-orders are currently open in China, with retail shipments beginning on August 18.
