In an period of vastly in style gimbal cameras like DJI’s Osmo collection, to not point out numerous smartphone gimbals, Honor’s Robotic Telephone is an bold try to mix that stabilization know-how with the telephone itself — no peripheral wanted. Its experimental new flagship telephone is truthfully much less of a robotic and extra of a gimbal telephone, however that will have been a horrible title.
Is that this the reply to numerous content material creators’ goals? When Honor revealed the system at MWC 2026 earlier this yr, it was arguably probably the most thrilling system on show on the Barcelona commerce present. Regardless of the worldwide reveal, the Robotic Telephone will not formally launch past China — the system simply went on sale there. The corporate is outwardly testing the waters with a restricted manufacturing run, like Samsung did with its Galaxy Z TriFold. Irritating, sure, however on this financial system, with part prices persevering with to rise, it is most likely smart.
The gimbal is the star of the present, and the know-how is spectacular by advantage of how small all of it is. Dwarfed by the Osmo Pockets and telephone gimbal handles, the ‘robotic’ folds away inside a tiny compartment on the again of this telephone. Honor says it is made the tiniest gimbal on the planet, manufacturing its personal 2.6-gram gimbal motor to make sure it matches inside a telephone.
Mat Smith for EngadgetIt matches, but it surely makes for a not-exactly-slim Robotic Telephone, measuring 9.6mm thick, not together with the digicam unit.
The gimbal delivers three-axis stabilization to the Robotic Telephone’s 200-megapixel main digicam. Folded away and sort-of safely behind a plastic cowl, the identical sensor additionally works as a conventional smartphone digicam. Decision apart, it has an f/1.6 lens and conventional (boring) optical picture stabilization (OIS). The telephone additionally has a 200MP telephoto digicam with OIS for as much as 2.7x optical zoom and a 50MP ultra-wide with a 122-degree discipline of view.
There’s additionally a 50MP entrance digicam, however why use that when there is a gimbal digicam? It is good to see the return of a multi-tasking fundamental sensor, and you may most likely use that for selfies right here. I bear in mind the seven-year-old Galaxy A80, even when nobody else does.
To energy up the gimbal, you will have to slip the duvet throughout manually, then faucet the launcher contained in the digicam or AI assistant app. The arm then unfolds, with a cute X-ray graphical flourish exhibiting what’s taking place behind the 6.31-inch display. Whereas the ‘robotic’ Yoyo AI assistant continues to be current, a number of its performance solely actually works in China. That is superb, as a result of I cared way more concerning the telephone’s digicam efficiency.
In comparison with standalone gimbal cameras, it is a reduction to have a smartphone-sized display to vary settings and capturing modes, as an alternative of poking, prodding or holding a handful of buttons. Honor has additionally inbuilt a handful of AI-guided capturing modes, though for now probably the most spectacular was a 180-degree video spin shot with the gimbal digicam.
There’s additionally an aggressively stabilizing super-steady mode that saved footage defiantly even at the same time as I bounced and hopped round Kings Cross station in London. There’s nonetheless a studying curve although, because the Robotic Telephone latched onto strangers’ faces after I did not need it to, however I quickly obtained a deal with on how the telephone prioritized topic monitoring. It was additionally releasing to shoot horizontal video whereas holding my telephone vertically.
Mat Smith for EngadgetNaturally, with a built-in gimbal, video recording is central to the Robotic Telephone, with Honor teaming up with cinematic digicam firm ARRI on the UI, LUTs and extra. That features capturing video in ARRI’s LogC3 format for straightforward modifying. You can too apply LUTs in preview as you seize video, so you may gauge how footage might look with out locking your self into different filmic results. Whereas I solely had temporary time capturing with the Robotic Telephone, the capturing expertise unsurprisingly lands squarely between utilizing a telephone and utilizing a gimbal.
It does largely act and really feel like a gimbal, although, and also you’re in a position to alter the gimbal’s monitoring velocity and manually alter the angle utilizing an on-screen stick. Handily, the telephone can monitor each people and inanimate objects, which is healthier than some smartphone gimbals.
It is spectacular; I anticipated comparatively weedy stabilization, given the miniaturized gimbal arm, but it surely saved up with me bouncing round, and the super-steady shot labored wonders when it was wanted. Nonetheless, like Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold, the Robotic Telephone is a proof-of-concept, and an early-adopter expensive experiment. It is retailing for 9,999 yuan in China, which interprets to roughly $1,500.
Nonetheless, Honor’s telephones typically value extra within the UK and different international locations outdoors of Asia. Its latest foldable, the Magic V6, launched in China for lower than the Robotic Telephone. Within the UK, the Magic V6 prices £2,000 (over $2,700). If the Robotic Telephone launched within the West, it’d probably value much more. That is an costly experiment, even in comparison with merely shopping for a standalone gimbal digicam and a unique flagship telephone individually.
The Robotic Telephone is consumer-ready, however Honor stays consumer-cautious. For now, you will must order one in (or import from) China. It could be robust to search out one there although as Honor ensures it could possibly cowl preliminary demand.
Moreover the heady worth, sturdiness is a priority, too. Each time one thing has extra mechanical shifting components, there’s an added threat of these breaking down. What’s extra, the Robotic Telephone has IP54 safety in opposition to mud and water, however solely when the gimbal is tucked inside — not that it will assist with put on and tear on the robotic elements.
When you’re , Honor’s spokesperson stated the corporate is already wanting into future gadgets that might launch outdoors China. I would positively have an interest to see the way it decides to construct any potential sequel. If the corporate is trying to develop past smartphones, because it appears to be doing, maybe this extremely tiny gimbal might turn out to be its personal unbiased system: a petit gimbal digicam that will simply slot in your pocket.
