The Honor Robot Phone is now available for purchase, and it could be the most ambitious camera phone to date.

      Honor first introduced the Robot Phone in October of last year through a video showcasing a robotic arm extending from the phone's rear. In January, an early prototype was spotted at CES, although the gimbal arm was non-functional and had to be manually unfolded. At MWC Barcelona in March, Honor presented the complete phone and announced a new collaboration with cinema camera manufacturer ARRI. Subsequently, the company exhibited the Robot Phone’s stabilized tracking shots at the Cannes Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival.

      Nearly a year after the initial teaser, the Robot Phone is now available for consumers, although many will not have the opportunity to purchase it.

      The Robot Phone is available for pre-order, but only in China.

      Honor has officially launched the Robot Phone in China, offering it in two configurations. The entry-level model, equipped with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, is priced at RMB 9,999 (~$1,480). Upgrading to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage increases the price to RMB 12,999 (~$1,930). Pre-orders are currently open, with retail sales set to commence on August 18.

      Honor has not disclosed pricing, availability, or launch dates for other regions, despite having a global product page for the device. The timeline for introducing the Robot Phone to additional markets remains uncertain.

      What you receive for that price

      Although the price may appear high, the Robot Phone justifies it with top-tier specifications throughout. The device sports a metal unibody design featuring a 6.31-inch LTPO OLED display with a refresh rate ranging from 1 to 120Hz, a peak brightness of 6,800 nits, 4,320Hz PWM dimming, and protection from Honor NanoCrystal shield. Internally, it is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, a custom cooling system, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and a 7,060mAh battery supporting 120W wired and 50W wireless fast charging.

      Additionally, the device boasts a 200MP f/1.6 main camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor mounted on the robotic arm. The gimbal uses a 2.6g motor capable of 360-degree movement speeds up to 360 degrees per second, and Honor states that the mechanism comprises over 100 patented components. The assembly is claimed to be 65 percent smaller and 200 percent stronger structurally than a standard gimbal. Movement modes offered include Tilt Lock, First Person View, FPV Vertical, and AI SpinShot.

      The gimbal camera is complemented by a second 200MP telephoto camera with 2.7x optical zoom and a 1/1.4-inch sensor, as well as a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 122-degree field of view, all located within the rectangular camera island on the rear. For image processing, Honor developed the new H1 Image Chip in collaboration with ARRI, enabling 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording in ARRI CINEMA mode, along with ARRI Wide Gamut 3 color and real-time ARRI Looks previews.

      The Robot Phone includes AI Subject Tracking and voice source localization, allowing the camera to automatically follow a speaker during a vlog, livestream, or video call. It also features gesture controls that enable users to operate the gimbal hands-free.

      Whether the gimbal will prove to be more than just a gimmick will require thorough hands-on testing, but the imaging advancements stemming from this technology will not be limited to this single device. Honor has confirmed that the innovations developed through its partnership with ARRI will be incorporated into its upcoming Magic 9 series, even if the robotic arm does not accompany it.