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Journalism of Courage
In a 2-minute, 40-second video uploaded to its YouTube channel on Thursday, Honor teased what appears to be a smartphone with a DJI Osmo-like gimbal camera on the back.
The phone looks like a regular smartphone at first, but on the back, it features a pop-up camera mounted on a gimbal-like robotic arm that swings out. Although the teaser video gives the impression of being AI-generated, Honor said that the phone is real and that more details will be shared at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next year.
Smartphones with pop-up cameras aren’t new with brands like Asus and Oppo have previously experimented with camera modules that physically flip over the top of the display. However, Honor may be taking the next step by designing a new type of pop-up camera, not to simply offer an uninterrupted display like earlier models, but to create smartphones that are supercharged with artificial intelligence and introduces robotics. These cameras could physically respond to people and their environment.
That’s exactly what Honor attempts to show in its concept video. In a press release, the company says that it aims to transform smartphones into ’emotional companions that sense, adapt, and grow with their users.’ Honor’s ‘robot phone’ doesn’t have an official name yet.
Honor’s new smartphone isn’t focused on the selfie camera, as is evident from the concept video. The video shows the camera analysing outfits the user is trying on and even playing peekaboo with a baby while the phone lies face down on a desk. Clearly, the idea is to create more self-aware smartphones that can take actions on your behalf, similar to how AI agents operate.
Personal robotics is something many big tech companies are currently exploring, with several working on new products that leverage artificial intelligence. Apple, for example, has reportedly been developing a robot that can follow users around their homes, as well as a tabletop device that uses robotics to adjust its display screen. Other tech companies have also experimented with home robots in the past. In 2021, Amazon debuted its $1,600 Astro home robot, a Wall-E-esque security bot and smart display on wheels that could respond to Alexa commands. However, the device turned out to be a commercial failure.
Smartphones, in general, have peaked in terms of both technology and design. Sales have been stagnant, and while people still upgrade their devices, the upgrade cycle has become much longer. For companies like Honor, a new approach is needed to sell smartphones, as innovation in both software and hardware has slowed down.
