Honor Robot Phone with motorized camera arm to launch in Q3 2026

Honor has announced that its “Robot Phone,” a smartphone built around a motorized, gimbal-style camera arm, will launch in the third quarter of 2026, with commercial availability in China expected in the second half of the year. The company confirmed the timing during a showcase at the Cannes Film Festival’s China Night event, where it also highlighted its partnership with ARRI, a company known for professional motion-picture camera technology.

The device debuted with limited details earlier at Mobile World Congress 2026, but Honor has now narrowed its release window to Q3 2026, placing the launch between July and September. At Cannes, creators were reportedly able to handle and use the phone, giving a clearer view of its camera concept.

Unlike a conventional smartphone camera module, the Honor Robot Phone’s camera hardware is mounted on a retractable arm that extends from the rear and mechanically adjusts its position. Honor says the arm can extend, rotate and stabilize video footage, supporting subject tracking for recording and hands-free shooting. When not in use, the camera assembly retracts back into the body.

Central to the marketing is the imaging and control system built...