Remember last month when HONOR showed off its futuristic robot phone? At that time, it appeared that the handset was more of a concept device. But if you were hoping that it was real, you’re in luck. Speaking at the World Internet Conference, HONOR CEO Li Jian confirmed that the company will turn the robot phone into a reality.

HONOR CEO will make the robot phone a reality

According to the reports (machine translated), the HONOR CEO revealed that the company plans to release its robot phone in 2026. The handset is expected to integrate three main features: AI, personal intelligence, and a high-quality camera.

For those who missed HONOR’s teaser last month, the company showed off a phone with a pop out camera. Now, phones with pop out cameras aren’t new. We’ve seen quite a few devices in the past. However, HONOR’s concept revealed a more sophisticated camera design, almost reminiscent of the DJI Osmo Pocket series of handheld cameras on gimbals.

The company also touted how smart the device is, with built-in AI features, the ability to follow the user, and more. We have to admit, it sounds a bit too futuristic to be true, but we are intrigued. Will HONOR be able to pull it off? That remains to be seen. There is also the question of whether the final product will actually look like the concept, or if HONOR is simply creating a similar-ish phone that isn’t so outlandish. Either way, we’ll have to wait until next year to find out.

Pushing the envelope

As wild as this phone concept is, we get where HONOR is coming from. Phones these days have peaked in terms of its technological progress. Most flagship phones tend to use the same chipset, so performance from model to model isn’t particularly varied. Cameras have also kind of peaked, and each new generation only offers marginal gains.

This is why it makes sense that HONOR wants to make its robot phone a reality. It would definitely help the company’s products stand out from the crowd, but whether this is something consumers want is a different story. We can already see some of the issues with this concept.

For one, the pop out camera is worryingly fragile. If you were to accidentally snap it off, you’re left with a phone without a camera. Plus, the size of the camera suggests that it would result in a pretty hefty device. Last but not least, the tech inside could end up costing consumers quite a bit. But what do you say? Is this a phone you might be interested in getting?