Honor has launched the Robot Phone in China, combining an Android flagship with a motorized gimbal camera. The device targets vloggers and mobile filmmakers who need stable video without carrying separate camera equipment.
The Robot Phone starts at 9,999 yuan, or about $1,480. Honor has not announced plans to sell the device outside China.
The phone carries a 200-megapixel main camera on a compact gimbal arm. A sliding glass cover protects the camera when users store it inside the rear camera unit.
Users must move the cover before activating the gimbal through Honor’s camera application. The motorized system then raises the camera and allows nearly 360 degrees of movement. Users can also control its direction through an on-screen joystick.
Honor developed a custom micro-motor after finding that available components were too large. The company reduced the gimbal’s volume by 65% compared with traditional designs. Its titanium-alloy motor weighs 2.6 grams.
Honor describes the device as a ‘new species of smartphone.’ Still, the Robot Phone follows a standard flagship design when the gimbal stays folded.
The gimbal supports several recording modes, including FPV, spin shots, subject tracking and enhanced stabilization. It can identify people and objects while recording. Moreover, its tracking feature works during supported video calls.
Users can record in portrait or landscape orientation. They can also change the gimbal’s speed, adjust joystick sensitivity and activate focus peaking. The camera application includes settings for video resolution, frame rate and aspect ratio.
Honor has partnered with cinema camera maker Arri on its video tools. The Robot Phone supports Arri Looks, Cinema Mode and the LogC3 format. These options give mobile filmmakers more control over colors and video processing.
The gimbal also supports panoramic group selfies. It captures images from several directions before combining them into one wide photograph. Meanwhile, the main camera can rotate toward the user for higher-resolution selfies.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor powers the robot phone. Buyers can choose between 12GB and 16GB of RAM. Storage options include 512GB and 1TB.
The device features a 6.31-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also carries a 7,060mAh silicon-carbon battery. Honor includes 120-watt wired charging and 50-watt wireless charging.
Alongside the gimbal camera, Honor added a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens. A separate 50-megapixel front camera handles standard selfies and palm gestures.
The phone measures 9.59mm thick and weighs 248 grams. Honor offers silver and gray versions. A protective case and magnetic stand come inside the box.
The Robot Phone carries an IP54 rating when the gimbal camera is fully stored. This rating provides limited protection against dust and water splashes. It does not apply when users deploy the camera.
Honor says the gimbal underwent repeated deployment and retraction testing. A software protection feature also detects unusual resistance and accidental handling. The company has not published a rated number of operating cycles.
The device includes Honor’s Yoyo AI assistant in China. Its interface gives the camera animated eyes and allows it to make expressive movements. Users can also issue voice commands, such as asking the camera to rotate for a set period.
For now, Honor will only sell the robot phone in China. Its 9,999-yuan price places it above many flagship phones and some separate gimbal cameras. Honor has not confirmed an international release date.