Honor’s Robot Phone integrates three-axis gimbal camera system
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
New hands-on testing finds Honor’s Robot Phone more capable than its unusual design suggests, with its unfolding gimbal camera delivering smooth movement, flexible shooting angles and improved selfies using the main sensor. The China launch matters because Honor is attempting to integrate functions normally provided by a separate handheld gimbal camera into a conventional Android phone.
The 248g handset is 9.6mm thick before its prominent camera module, so it is noticeably bulkier than typical phones. Its camera system combines a 200-megapixel, 1/1.28-inch-type main sensor on a three-axis gimbal, a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto and a 50-megapixel ultrawide; the gimbal offers nearly 360-degree movement, subject tracking, panorama selfies and video modes including FPV and super-steady, though manual control relies on an onscreen joystick.
- Hands-on testing found Honor’s gimbal camera surprisingly effective.
- The phone trades slimness for stabilised, flexible shooting.
- It launches in China with three 200-megapixel cameras.
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Honor is a Chinese smartphone maker that sells Android handsets in many countries. Its Robot Phone is designed around a camera module that can unfold and move independently, rather than keeping all the lenses fixed to the back of the device.
A gimbal is a motorised stabilising mechanism that helps keep a camera level while the user moves. It is commonly found in separate handheld camera accessories, and can make video smoother or allow shots from unusual angles.
The phone is part of a wider effort by manufacturers to improve cameras as a reason to choose one handset over another. Combining a moving, stabilised main camera with high-resolution zoom and wide-angle lenses could reduce the need for separate filming equipment, but adds size, weight and mechanical complexity to a phone.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters would argue that Honor is using a genuine hardware innovation to make a phone more versatile, rather than adding novelty for its own sake. A three-axis gimbal paired with a large main sensor could offer smoother video, more flexible framing and higher-quality selfies without requiring users to carry a separate camera accessory, while the unusually capable supporting cameras strengthen its case as an all-in-one device. They may see the added size and weight as a reasonable trade-off for creators and travellers who value imaging performance over minimalism.
The case against
Sceptics would argue that combining a gimbal camera with a phone creates compromises that may outweigh the convenience for most people. At 248g with a substantial camera module, it is less pocketable and potentially less comfortable than conventional flagships, while an onscreen joystick may be less precise and satisfying than physical controls on a dedicated gimbal camera. They may also question whether specialised modes and near-360-degree movement solve common everyday needs well enough to justify greater bulk, complexity and likely cost.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Honor’s Robot Phone is better than a gimbal in a phone has any right to be”.