China’s Honor teases ‘Robot Phone’, a new AI handset with gimbal-attached camera

Honor, the Chinese smartphone maker spun off from Huawei Technologies, on Wednesday teased a concept artificial intelligence-enabled handset featuring a fold-out gimbal-attached camera, as the firm looks to differentiate itself from rival Android device makers in the global market.

Honor described the unique smartphone as a “revolutionary AI device that fuses multi-modal intelligence, advanced robotics and next-generation imaging”.

The Shenzhen-based company, which did not reveal details of the phone, said more information would be released in Spain during next year’s MWC Barcelona trade show, which will run from March 2 to 5.

The Robot Phone would mark “an important milestone” for Honor’s “Alpha” plan, according to the company.

Unveiled in March by new CEO James Li Jian, the plan involved a five-year, US$10 billion investment strategy that would transform Honor from a smartphone maker into “an ecosystem company” focused on AI devices.