Honor Robot Phone Hands-On: A Functional Gimbal Smartphone, But China-Exclusive for Now

Key facts

• Honor Robot Phone is the first smartphone with a built-in motorized gimbal in its rear camera module.
• The gimbal can rotate up to 270 degrees and supports subject tracking and panoramic capture.
• The phone features a 200-megapixel main camera (23mm equivalent, Type 1/1.28 sensor, f/1.6, OIS), a 200-megapixel telephoto (62mm equivalent, Type 1/1.4 sensor, f/2.6, OIS), and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide (122° FOV, f/2, macro at 2.5cm).
• The device has a 6.3-inch OLED display (2640x1216), a 7,060mAh silicon carbon battery, and an IP54 rating.
• Honor has partnered with Arri to introduce a pro video mode called Arri Cinema, featuring Log shooting, Arri color science, LUTs, and manual controls.
• The Arri Cinema mode records Log using Samsung's APV lossless codec by default, which is incompatible with Apple's ecosystem; switching to HEVC/H.265 avoids the issue.
• The Robot Phone is priced at $1,480 equivalent and is currently China-exclusive, with no global launch plans due to limited repair infrastructure.
• Honor's President of Hardware Engineering, Yang Liu, hinted at a second-generation device in development.
• The phone's gimbal is sensitive to hand speed, and subject reacquisition can be inconsistent in crowds.
• The included case has MagSafe and a built-in kickstand.
• The gimbal and cover contribute to the phone's IP54 rating, meaning it can withstand splashes but not submersion.
• Honor's engineers are exploring the possibility of interchangeable covers that could act as filters, such as ND filters.