China's Honor shows off smartphone with robotic camera arm and teases a humanoid robot

The Honor Robot Phone features a camera that pops out of the main body of the device.HonorHonor on Sunday showed off the capabilities of its Robot Phone as the Chinese electronics firm looks to stand out from some of its bigger rivals like Samsung and Apple.The company, which spun off from Huawei in 2020, also launched the Magic V6, its latest foldable smartphone, as part of its event at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday. In addition, Honor teased a humanoid robot, but with very few details. The releases come against the backdrop of the ongoing shortage and unprecedented price surge of memory chips, which is expected to see device makers increase prices and strain demand for smartphones in 2026. Honor first teased the Robot Phone in October. It features a camera on a robotic arm that pops out of the main body of the device. For those into video work, it looks like it's inspired by the Osmo product line from Chinese dronemaker DJI.The camera, which is powered by a small motor, can lock onto an object or person and track it as it moves. A user can talk to Honor's AI assistant, and the camera can then respond with a yes or no answer by nodding. Honor said it aims to make the phone commercially available in China in the second half of the year.The camera on the Honor Robot Phone folds back into the body of the device.HonorThe Robot Phone shows how companies like Honor are looking to stand out in a sea of similar-looking smartphones and give users a compelling enough reason to upgrade or switch from their current device. The device is expected to be expensive and continues Honor's push into the high-end area of the market where it is looking to challenge the likes of Samsung and Apple, particularly in overseas markets like Europe.In China, Honor ended the year as the sixth-biggest smartphone player with a market share of just over 13%, according to Counterpoint Research. But it's a much smaller player overseas, where it is trying to establish a brand presence. Its market share in Europe in 2025 was 3%, according to Omdia research. Honor entered the list of the top five biggest players in the region for the first time at the end of the year, though its gains have been fueled largely by sales of its lower-priced devices. Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president for data and analytics at IDC, told CNBC the launch was more of a "marketing push" to create a buzz around the brand as it looks to build market share outside of China. "There is some novelty to it and they need that kind of innovation to show their capabilities," Jeronimo said. "It will drive everyone's attention. Whether it translates to sales when they launch it, it will be a hard sell, especially if it is a high price or bulky phone."The Honor Robot Phone has a camera that can automatically track subjects.HonorHonor Magic V6 foldable phoneWhile Samsung dominates the foldable smartphone category with its Galaxy Z Fold line of devices, Honor is trying to make inroads into the premium segment with its foldable V series of devices, featuring ultra-thin batteries. The Honor Magic V6 launched on Sunday is 8.75 mm thick when closed, the company said, which is smaller than the 8.8 mm to 9 mm size of its predecessor. That is the same thickness as an iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Honor Magic V6 is the Chinese tech company's latest foldable smartphone, launched in March 2026, as it looks to take on Samsung.HonorThe Honor Magic V6 features one of the biggest batteries in a smartphone on the market and is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform, one of the U.S. firm's latest processors. The Magic V6 will go on sale in China in March, followed by international markets in the second half of the year. The company has not yet disclosed pricing. Honor humanoid robotMeanwhile, Honor teased its first humanoid robot on stage at its MWC launch event. While few details were provided about the device, it shows how Chinese companies in particular, are expanding into the field of robotics. Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi, for example, has developed its own humanoid robot called CyberOne. Meanwhile, electric carmaker Xpeng also has its own humanoid robot model.A plethora of Chinese companies have developed humanoid robots with analysts expecting the country to ramp up production of the devices this year. Honor's robot will focus on providing shopping assistance, workplace inspections, and supportive companionship, the company said Sunday.