Honor’s futuristic “robot phone,” the one with the pop-out gimbal-style camera that looks more like a sci-fi prop than a smartphone, is officially happening.
CEO Li Jian has confirmed that the company plans to launch the device in 2026, turning what looked like a concept into a real product.
Speaking at the World Internet Conference, Li described the phone as a leap forward in mobile AI, combining artificial intelligence, personal intelligence, and a smart, mechanically adjustable camera that can track users and stabilise footage — think DJI Osmo Pocket, but built into your phone.
The prototype, first teased last month, featured a motorised camera module that literally pops out of the handset and pivots like a tiny robot head.
While pop-up cameras aren’t new, this one looks far more advanced, suggesting it could move, follow subjects, and even respond to gestures. Honor says the design will integrate AI-powered tracking and scene recognition, allowing the phone to adjust automatically while recording video or taking photos.
It’s a bold move, especially at a time when most flagship phones are starting to feel a little too similar. With chipsets and camera sensors reaching a kind of performance plateau, a truly “robotic” phone could help Honor stand out, if it can pull it off.
Of course, that’s a big “if.” The pop-out mechanism looks delicate, and the added motors and sensors could make the phone both heavier and pricier than standard flagships. And if that camera snaps off? You’re left with a very expensive slab with no lens.
Reactions on X under the teased posts has been mixed, with one user praising Honor for “actually innovating,” while another said they were “bored of phones that look the same each year.”
Others were far less convinced, calling the concept “a gimmick for stabilisation” and even joking that it’s “another CCP device keeping an eye on your surroundings.” Regardless, it’s hard to deny that the company has people talking.
Still, the idea of a smartphone that can move and think for itself is undeniably exciting. Whether Honor’s robot phone ends up being a revolutionary new form factor or just another flashy experiment, we’ll find out sometime next year.
