The current top-end iPhone is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is priced at $1,199. But now we have the Robot Phone with an even steeper price tag of CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,485).
The company behind the Robot Phone is Honor, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer. Now, how does the company justify a higher price tag than a traditional flagship? By featuring a gimbal camera system.
That’s right, the robot phone has a gimbal to replace your Osmo Pocket 4
Well, unlike a traditional smartphone, the device can physically reposition its camera without requiring the user to move the phone. However, its robotic capabilities remain confined to the camera system.
A traditional smartphone uses cameras fixed inside its chassis. Software stabilization and digital cropping can keep a subject in the frame, but changing the camera’s physical angle generally requires the user to reposition the entire device.
The Honor Robot Phone takes a different approach. Its 200MP primary camera sits on a motorized, three-axis gimbal arm that unfolds from the rear of the phone. The mechanism offers four degrees of freedom and up to 300 degrees of rotation, according to Wired.
This allows the phone to track subjects, adjust framing, and stabilize footage while the main body remains stationary. It can also use the primary camera for selfies, maintain framing during video calls, and capture footage from angles that would normally require an external gimbal.
Honor has included several expressive movements. The camera module can nod, shake from side to side, and move in time with music. These actions are paired with the company’s YOYO AI software to make the handset appear more like an interactive companion.
Flagship smartphone hardware underneath
Despite its unusual camera system, the rest of the device closely resembles a conventional flagship Android phone. It features a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and a 7,060mAh battery with 120W wired charging.
The rear camera system includes the gimbal-mounted 200MP primary camera, another 200MP sensor paired with a periscope telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. A separate 50MP front-facing camera is also positioned within the display.
Honor collaborated with professional camera manufacturer ARRI on the imaging system. This collaboration brings ARRI LogC3, ARRI Looks, and a dedicated Cinema Mode to the device.
Now you must be wondering if there are any compromises made. Well, a higher price is one. But there are some more. For example, the Robot Phone measures approximately 9.6mm thick and weighs 248g. In contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro with a similar-sized display is 8.8mm thick and weighs 206 grams.
A few more grams, right? Nope, that’s not all. The Robot Phone carries an IP54 rating when its camera mechanism is closed. Normally, flagship phones offer stronger IP69 protection without exposed moving components.
The device starts at CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,485) with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. A 16GB/1TB version costs CNY 12,999 (approximately $1,930). Honor has initially limited availability to China, but it may come in the overseas market since the phone is listed in the official global website.
