"The market reception has been quite positive. Each salesperson has pre-sold two to three units, with our store's total pre-orders nearing 20 so far. Many of our buyers are female customers," remarked Zhang Xing, a salesperson at a HONOR store in Changchun, as he showcased the robotic arm's pan-tilt tracking capability while describing the pre-sale situation for the Robot Phone.

On August 12, HONOR unveiled the world's inaugural robotic smartphone, the Robot Phone, with a starting price of 9,999 yuan, rivaling Apple's premium iPhone 17 Pro Max.

As the first mass-market smartphone to incorporate a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, the Robot Phone is complemented by HONOR's proprietary Agentic OS embodied interaction system. It positions itself not merely as "a smartphone with AI capabilities" but as "an AI-native terminal."

Zhang disclosed that customers can now pre-order the Robot Phone with a 1,000 yuan deposit, which is fully refundable at any time, making it highly consumer-friendly. "The first batch of 512GB models is nearly sold out. New shipments are anticipated to arrive around August 20."

Despite the buzz, feedback from the frontlines reveals a sobering reality: the Robot Phone currently appears more as a productivity tool or a niche gadget. For the general public, its high price directly impedes the transition from "impulse interest" to "must-have purchase."

Li Na, a sales consultant at another HONOR experience store in Changchun, observed that some cost-conscious consumers are holding out for the upcoming Magic9, expected to start at 6,000 yuan—significantly cheaper than the Robot Phone.

According to HONOR, pre-orders for the Robot Phone across all channels have exceeded 400,000 units. However, the company has not disclosed how many of these are non-refundable deposits versus expressions of interest, nor the final conversion rate.

If the Robot Phone fails to become a "high-frequency necessity" for the masses, these 400,000 pre-orders may represent a peak rather than a starting point.

HONOR Needs a "Fresh Narrative"

The Robot Phone carries significant expectations for HONOR, serving as a stepping stone to break free from the "old smartphone narrative."

Currently, the global smartphone industry is mired in stagnation.

IDC data indicates that China's smartphone shipments in the first half of 2026 totaled approximately 134 million units, down 4.2% year-on-year. Counterpoint reported that global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2026 fell 11% year-on-year, marking "the lowest second-quarter volume since 2013."

Rising memory prices have further strained the industry.

According to SigmaIntel's Q2 2026 Memory Report, memory chip prices have surged: 4GB LPDDR4X rose by 75% quarter-on-quarter, 12GB LPDDR5X jumped by 89%, and 256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage doubled in price. These increases have driven up prices for mid-to-low-end models by hundreds of yuan and flagship models by over a thousand yuan, intensifying consumer hesitation.

This year's 618 sales data further illustrate the situation.

IDC statistics reveal a 15% year-on-year decline in overall smartphone sales during the 618 period, indicating weakened consumer demand.

After the 2025 stimulus effects of national subsidies peaked, their marginal impact on consumption faded significantly in 2026.

Amid industry struggles, HONOR's position is particularly precarious.

IDC data shows HONOR's domestic smartphone market share at 11.3% in the second quarter of 2026, ranking sixth. This marks a 3.2 percentage-point decline from its 14.5% share in the second quarter of 2024.

HONOR CEO Li Jian has been forthright about industry challenges, noting severe pressure across the consumer electronics sector and a noticeable contraction in the smartphone market. Unlike Xiaomi, which diversified into electric vehicles, HONOR remains heavily reliant on smartphones, amplifying its operational pressures.

HONOR has attempted to break through via premiumization, but its Magic series has struggled to dislodge Apple and Huawei from the 6,000+ yuan price segment. With competitors doubling down, the high-end market has become fiercely competitive.

At the capital market level, IPO delays and rumors of employee share buybacks persist.

Public reports indicate HONOR originally planned to complete IPO counseling by March 2026, but the timeline has long since passed, with unresolved issues like fundraising. Market concerns about the listing process continue to grow.

HONOR needs a fresh narrative to rebuild internal and external confidence.

Is a 10,000-Yuan Robotic Arm Smartphone a Genuine Need or a False Promise?

The Robot Phone's standout feature—integrating a four-degree-of-freedom robotic arm into a smartphone—fundamentally differentiates it from "AI smartphones" that focus on software upgrades. HONOR has achieved a breakthrough in physical form.

According to HONOR's official specifications, the Robot Phone measures 9.59mm thick, weighs 248g, and houses a 7,060mAh battery. It features a hidden four-degree-of-freedom (4DoF) titanium alloy robotic gimbal and a retractable camera module, enabling flexible shooting angles with auto-framing, target tracking, and mechanical stabilization.

Paired with Agentic OS, the phone can perform simple physical tasks, such as auto-adjusting shooting angles or tracking video calls in desk stand mode.

In HONOR's vision, the Robot Phone combines "flagship smartphone hardware with professional-grade shooting equipment."

However, as a first-generation product, its physical limitations are evident.

Tech blogger @Xiaopang Tech Reviews noted: "The front camera's innovation is impressive, but heat dissipation is poor. If the phone drops while using the gimbal, it's prone to damage—the protection isn't robust enough."

Caijing Story Hub's store visits in Changchun revealed three primary purchase motivations: 1) self-media creators seeking a DJI Osmo Pocket alternative for selfies and tracking shots, 2) female users passionate about photography, and 3) tech enthusiasts eager to try something new.

"At 9,999 yuan, it's not outrageous—a top-tier iPhone costs over 10,000 yuan. But the iPhone handles calls, photos, work, and gaming seamlessly. The Robot Phone's robotic arm doesn't make a noticeable difference in these scenarios," said Xiaopang Tech Reviews in his video. "Actual use cases for the robotic arm remain limited."

Thus, while HONOR has secured the "world's first" title for the Robot Phone, it still faces a long road to becoming a mass-market hit.

Li Jian is prepared for this. At the launch event, he admitted the Robot Phone "isn't for everyone—it's an exploratory product for pioneering users."

The Time Window for Positioning is Shorter Than Anticipated

No brand wants to miss a trending opportunity.

Undoubtedly, capital markets value "AI terminals" far more than "smartphone makers."

HONOR's strategic intent in launching the Robot Phone now is clear: instead of competing fiercely in the stagnant smartphone market, it aims to establish definition rights in a new category.

The "world's first robotic smartphone" label carries far greater potential impact on IPO valuation, capital market storytelling, and brand premium than the product's actual sales volume. For the Robot Phone, HONOR prioritizes generating buzz over expecting explosive sales growth.

Li Jian has long maintained a sense of urgency, understanding that to differentiate, companies must cultivate future-oriented innovations during downturns. HONOR began laying the groundwork for AI terminals two to three years ago.

If the Robot Phone is widely recognized as a mass-produced embodied AI terminal, HONOR will transition from a smartphone company to a pioneer in AI hardware—a cognitive leap that represents the core goal of this product.

The question is: how long can this cognitive upgrade window last?

First, the initial Robot Phone's form factor falls short of mature consumer product standards. Issues like bulkiness, power consumption, and software optimization will require at least two to three generations of iteration to resolve.

Second, competitors may catch up faster than expected.

Last year, Samsung secured patents for movable camera modules but has yet to mass-produce them. Xiaomi showcased a magnetic modular camera concept at MWC 2025, while vivo and OPPO focus on micro-gimbal stabilization and standalone Vlog accessories, aiming to rival DJI's Pocket series.

Though none have entered mass production, once the market window opens, rivals could leverage supply chain scale and channel advantages to quickly launch lower-priced alternatives, narrowing HONOR's first-mover advantage.

The consumer electronics industry has seen both pioneers become martyrs and successful category-defining products like the iPhone. The key difference lies in whether a product can establish uncopyable core barriers in ecosystem, user experience, and supply chain.

For HONOR's Robot Phone, the initial category definition is complete, but robust industry barriers remain unbuilt. Its first-mover advantage is fragile.

What Must HONOR Prove Behind 400,000 Pre-Orders?

If all 400,000 pre-orders convert to actual sales, at a starting price of 9,999 yuan, revenue would reach approximately 4 billion yuan.

Compared to HONOR's estimated 180 billion yuan in 2025 revenue, the Robot Phone's contribution (~2%) is not transformative.

However, the 400,000 figure itself signals that market demand for hardware innovation remains real and that HONOR can still "deliver big innovations."

More importantly, HONOR must prove the Robot Phone can fulfill daily high-frequency needs.

The DJI Osmo Pocket series succeeded because it offered an affordable price (starting at 2,499 yuan) and directly addressed Vlog shooting pain points.

At 9,999 yuan, the Robot Phone faces a much higher barrier to becoming a mass-market essential.

The journey from "pioneering showcase" to "mass necessity" requires more than a launch event—it demands two to three product generations of iteration.

Fortunately, Li Jian is ambitious.

At the August 12 launch, he posed an industry-shaking question: In the AI era, must smartphones remain monotonous black slabs? Unable to find breakthroughs within traditional smartphone frameworks, HONOR turned to robotics.

Now that HONOR has temporarily secured the "world's first" title, the next challenge is transforming it into an unassailable competitive moat.