When Honor first announced its unusual robot phone in October, I said I'll have to see it and hold it believe that it's real. Three months later, I'm already halfway there.
IN CES 2026 This is the first time I've seen a prototype phone with a DJI Osmo-style pop-up camera and gimbal. Given that part of the phone's body is dedicated to housing these elements when they're folded, it's understandably not one of the ultra-thin devices we've seen over the last year or so.
There's real depth to the robot phone.
I was not allowed to touch or manipulate the phone or his hand, but I watched as a member of Honor's team moved the camera from one position to another. It was interesting to see how the hand was carefully laid out, resulting in the black phone at first glance looking almost like any other ordinary device with a particularly extensive camera module. But I can't deny that I still want to get my hands on one to see how well the robotic element of the phone actually works.
Luckily, I won't have to wait long. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in March, Honor will let me touch and hold the phone. At this point, the robotic arm will work, so it will not have to be adjusted manually. At this stage, unfortunately little is known about the phone other than its design, but its full specifications will also be announced at MWC.
Robot phone on the back with a hidden camera.
When the robot phone finally launches, it will likely be something of a niche product that will appeal mainly to content creators. But it will also inject a much-needed dose of design boldness into an industry that has struggled to show much imagination over the past decade.
If Honor can pull this off with a moving robotic arm, I'll be impressed.
Tech journalists, myself included, are guilty of complaining about the uniform design of most smartphones while calling on companies to take more risks and give us something to actually enjoy. The advent of foldable phones has been a breath of fresh air, but the robot phone is an example of next-level thinking that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of phone design.
I, for one, can't wait to see—and hold—more.
