MWC: Up close with the Honor Robot Phone (Pictures & Video)

Even as a guest of Honor, it was nearly impossible to get a look at the Robot Phone because the interest was phenomenal. The stand even opened early to reduce the huge queues from people wanting to experience the talk of the show…

Expected to get a release later in the year, the Honor Robot Phone is not pretending to be a mainstream addition to the world of smartphones – but, like the humanoid robot unveiled yesterday, it demonstrates the direction that Honor is taking to become more than a regular phone manufacturer.

It has invested a lot of time and money into creating new avenues to demonstrate the power and potential of AI services… and, considering the controversy over AI, Honor is at least finding genuine use cases for the technology.

For sure, the demonstrations that include letting your phone judge you on your choice of clothing, or having the phone looking after your kids (or pets) is not really going to be a thing – but these are just lighthearted demonstrations to gain interest.

I would predict a fairly limited production run, and an eye-watering price tag, but there will be aspects of this phone that will appear in future products and with devices like this, there will be opportunities to find serious use cases. In many cases, people will think of uses that weren’t even imagined at the time of designing it.

One thing is for sure, the Robot Phone is one of the most talked about things from MWC so far in 2026 and everyone has been excited to see something other than another black slab smartphone.

Official Press Information

Robot Phone is a new species of smartphone, combining embodied AI interaction with robot-grade motion and cinematic imaging capabilities. Rather than reacting solely through screens and voice commands, HONOR is, figuratively, giving its next generation of devices not only a brain, but also hands and feet, combining AI with more physical, expressive interaction through motion and camera movement. It goes beyond what a static smartphone can offer, bringing more human, expressive interaction into everyday technology and adjusting its perspective in real time. Multimodal perception means it can identify sounds, track motion and maintain visual awareness, creating a more natural, sensory, and intuitive interaction model.

Robot Phone also introduces embodied AI interaction designed to feel more natural and expressive. It supports all-angle AI video calling that follows the user through robot-grade motion control. It also responds with emotional body language, including expressive nods and head shakes, and can even dance to the beat of music, bringing playful, lifelike interaction to the smartphone experience.

Packing a robot into a smartphone required rethinking space, strength, and weight at a microscopic level. HONOR applied high-performance materials and reliability know-how developed for foldables to Robot Phone engineering, enabling a self-developed micro motor designed for extreme compactness and strength. By significantly reducing motor size, HONOR was able to fit an ultra-compact 4DoF gimbal system into the phone, creating the hardware foundation for robot-grade embodied motion control. 

This mechanical architecture supports a three-axis gimbal stabilisation system, delivering smooth and precise motion even in dynamic environments. Super Steady Video mode enhances stability in high-movement scenarios, while AI Object Tracking allows Robot Phone to intelligently follow subjects in real time. AI SpinShot further expands creative control, supporting intelligent 90° and 180° rotational movement for fluid, cinematic transitions, even when shooting one-handed.

Built around a 200MP sensor and a stabilised gimbal camera system, Robot Phone is designed to help users move beyond capturing moments and toward capturing life stories. Through stabilisation, intelligent tracking, and cinematic-style camera movement, it aims to close the gap between smartphone video and professional-looking storytelling.

Together, these capabilities demonstrate how embodied AI can unlock new forms of capture and interaction, positioning Robot Phone as a defining step in HONOR’s evolution toward more intelligent and adaptive devices. As HONOR continues to advance its ALPHA PLAN, Robot Phone offers a glimpse into how embodied intelligence may shape the next generation of mobile technology.

Official Video

Official Photos