Honor Launches Robot Phone With Mechanical Gimbal Camera

Honor has launched the Robot Phone, a new smartphone featuring a motorized, three-axis mechanical gimbal that extends from the device's back, marking a significant step in integrating physical hardware with artificial intelligence. The device, which the company describes as the world's first robot phone, became available for purchase in mainland China on August 13, 2026, priced starting at 9,999 yuan (approximately $1,100). The launch represents the Huawei spinoff's effort to differentiate itself in a stagnant smartphone market by introducing a novel form factor and embodied AI capabilities.

The core innovation is the integrated gimbal system, which houses a 200-megapixel main camera sensor. Honor states the mechanism was developed through 60 manufacturing processes and incorporates over 100 precision components, supported by more than 100 patents. The company claims its custom-developed gimbal motor is 65 percent smaller than comparable systems, allowing the entire mechanism to collapse into the phone's 9.59-millimeter-thick chassis. This hardware enables stabilized 4K video recording and AI-powered subject tracking, where the camera can automatically follow a user during...