At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, Chinese smartphone maker Honor took the tech world by surprise with the unveiling of what it calls the world’s first “Robot Phone”, a groundbreaking handset that blends robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced imaging to redefine how users interact with smartphones.
The device — positioned as a new species of smartphone — integrates a motorised robotic camera arm with a 200-megapixel sensor and the industry’s first three-axis gimbal camera system built into a phone body. This unique design enables the camera to move autonomously, track subjects in real time, stabilise video and even respond expressively — nodding, shaking its “head” or moving with music — much like a tiny robot sidekick.
According to Honor’s CEO, the Robot Phone is part of the company’s broader vision for Augmented Human Intelligence (AHI) — an ambition to shift smartphones toward embodied intelligence and interactive experience, not just screens and touch controls. The phone supports full-angle AI video calls, cinematic anti-shake video functions and AI-enabled object tracking, promising a mix of practical and creative applications for creators and everyday users alike.
Honor first teased the concept in late 2025, and the MWC 2026 demonstration marked its first public appearance as a working prototype ahead of an expected commercial launch in the second half of 2026, initially in China. The company also showcased its first consumer humanoid robot at the same event, signalling a wider push into AI-driven hardware beyond traditional mobile devices.
