Honor "Robot Phone": AI smartphone concept with gimbal camera
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor gives a preview of its Robot Phone with an integrated gimbal camera arm and a lot of AI.
Always watching: Honor's Robot Phone with active gimbal camera in breast pocket
(Image: Honor)
With the concept named “Robot Phone,” the manufacturer wants to demonstrate how smartphones can be further developed and become more of an AI companion. A gimbal-mounted gimbal camera that can extend from the back of the smartphone is, in a way, the heart of the device, with which it is intended to capture photos and videos in any direction. The manufacturer describes its project as “a revolutionary AI device that combines multimodal intelligence, advanced robotics, and next-generation imaging.”
The smartphone, which the company has so far only shown in computer-generated form in its teaser video, appears at first glance to be a rather thick, conventional phone. The rear camera element is divided into two parts: behind the left side is the gimbal camera, whose protective cover can be opened via a sliding mechanism. Motors then extend the gimbal camera and move it in almost any direction.
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The back of the smartphone does not feature the actual Honor logo; instead, it is adorned with an Alpha, which stands for the corporate vision “Alpha Plan,” announced at MWC early this year. Behind this is Honor's roadmap, which is intended to mark the transition from a pure smartphone manufacturer to a provider of a comprehensive AI device ecosystem. The plan includes three steps: first, the development of intelligent AI devices, then the establishment of an AI ecosystem, and finally, in the vision, the creation of an 'intelligent world.'” As part of this, the manufacturer intends to invest 10 billion US dollars in AI development over the next five years.
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In the teaser video, the manufacturer shows not only what a robot smartphone might look like but also what is possible with the gimbal camera and AI functions. When the camera is extended—accompanied by a giggle in the video—it can take selfies and act as a kind of fashion advisor with AI. Due to the flexible positioning of the camera, it can capture photos and videos at various angles, and the video also suggests that it can move independently.
The video also shows possible use cases that suggest the gimbal smartphone has a lot of AI under the hood: in a shirt pocket, for example, the camera could capture the surroundings, lull babies to sleep with giggles, and take photos of the starry sky with amazement at night.
From a technical perspective, the integrated gimbal camera can be considered a kind of continuation of the Oneplus 7 Pro from 2019. The manufacturer's smartphone had a selfie camera that could be retracted into the casing, which only extended when needed. The idea did not catch on, possibly because mechanical components can fail faster and manufacturing costs tend to be high.
Honor will reveal further details about its robot phone at MWC 2026.
(afl)
