Honor previews 'Robot phone' concept months before MWC 2026: What to expect

Honor has teased its upcoming "Robot phone" concept ahead of MWC 2026, hinting at AI-led innovation and a design reminiscent of the iPhone 17 Pro series

Honor has unveiled a “Robot phone” which bears a resemblance to the recently launched iPhone 17 Pro series. Honor has shared this concept phone’s video with the promise to reveal more about it at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. Alongside the Robot phone, Honor also teased its upcoming Honor Magic 8 series smartphone.

Honor Robot phone: What do we know

It appears that the Chinese smartphone maker has taken a dig at Apple in the video. The video starts with the word “Phone,” and with the addition of the letter “i” on the left, it reads “iPhone,” clarifying the hit at Apple. Then, quickly, an “a” was added before the iPhone, making it “AI phone,” which reveals that Honor will go big on AI this time with the “Robot phone.”

 

As the video progresses, the back panel of a smartphone is shown, which resembles the iPhone 17 Pro series. Further, the logo that rests on the back of the panel looks very similar to that of Sony Alpha. One half of the camera module then pops out to become a small gimbal-like robot, which is seen moving. The robot was then seen in action, observing the world from the pocket of a shirt as the user roamed around. The robot camera was also seen playing peek-a-boo with a baby.

 

Apart from the visual of this concept phone, and the movements it can possibly do, not much was revealed about the smartphone. However, Honor will shed more light on it at the MWC 2026 in Barcelona.

Honor Magic 8 series teased: What to expect

In the same video, Honor also teased the upcoming Honor Magic 8 which will reportedly launch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip in China. In contrast to the Robot phone, the Magic 8 was shown for just a few seconds. According to a report by Gizbot, the Magic 8 series comprises the Honor Magic 8 and Magic 8 Pro.

 

According to the report, the Magic 8 Pro device will sport a 6.71-inch LTPO OLED display with a 1.5K resolution (1256×2808 pixels), a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and a peak brightness of up to 6,000 nits in HDR mode.

 

It is likely to boast 16GB of RAM and 1TB of onboard storage. The smartphone is expected run on MagicOS 10, built on Android 16. For optics, it might sport a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 200MP telephoto camera with 3.7x optical and up to 100x digital zoom. For selfies, it is likely to feature a 50MP selfie camera alongside a 3D depth sensor. For power, the smartphone might boast a 7,200mAh battery that supports 100W wired and 80W wireless charging.

 

The Magic 8, on the other hand, will reportedly sport a 6.58-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 6,000 nits of peak brightness. It is also expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and run on MagicOS 10. For optics, it might sport the same selfie camera. On the back, it is expected to sport a 50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom.

 

The Magic 8 is expected to be powered by a 7,000mAh cell with 90W wired and 80W wireless charging.

Honor Magic 8 Pro: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.71-inch LTPO OLED, 1.5K resolution (1256×2808 pixels), 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 6000 nits of peak brightness
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• RAM: Up to 16GB
• Storage: Up to 1TB
• Rear cameras: 50MP + 50MP ultra-wide sensor + 200MP telephoto lens
• Front camera: 50MP + 3D depth sensor
• OS: Android 16-based MagicOS 10
• Battery: 7,200mAh
• Charging: 100W wired, 80W wireless

Honor Magic 8: Expected specifications

• Display: 6.58-inch OLED, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 6000 nits of peak brightness
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• Operating system: Android 16-based MagicOS 10
• Rear cameras: 50MP +50MP ultra-wide sensor + 64MP telephoto lens
• Front camera: 50MP selfie camera + 3D depth sensor
• Battery: 7,000mAh
• Charging: 90W wired, 80W wireless