At CES 2026, I lastly acquired to see in individual one of many oddest telephones in latest reminiscence: the Honor Robotic Telephone. The place different telephones embed all their cameras into the physique, the Robotic Telephone mounts the digicam system on a robotic arm and gimbal that flips out.
Three months in the past when the bizarre cellphone was introduced, I said I’d have to see it and hold it to imagine it is actual. Now I am at the very least midway there.
Do not miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based evaluations. Add CNET as a most popular Google supply.
I wasn’t allowed to the touch or manipulate the cellphone or its arm, however I watched as a member of Honor’s crew moved the digicam between totally different positions. It was attention-grabbing to see how neatly the arm packed away, leaving the black cellphone wanting — at a look — virtually like every other generic gadget with a very expansive digicam module. However I can not deny that I am nonetheless eager to get my palms on it to see how nicely the robotic ingredient of the cellphone truly operates.
There’s some actual depth to the Robotic Telephone.
Happily, I haven’t got lengthy to attend. At Cellular World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona in March, Honor will permit me to the touch and maintain the cellphone. At that time, the robotic arm might be working, so it will not must be manually adjusted. We all know frustratingly little else in regards to the cellphone at this stage, past its design, however its full specs may also be introduced at MWC.
When it lastly launches, the Robotic Telephone is more likely to be a distinct segment product that appeals primarily to content material creators. However it is going to additionally inject a much-needed dose of design daring into an trade that is struggled to indicate a lot creativeness over the previous decade.Â
The Robotic Telephone from the again, with the digicam tucked away.
Tech journalists have lengthy complained in regards to the homogenous designs of most smartphones, urging firms to take extra dangers and provides us one thing to actually get enthusiastic about. The introduction of foldable telephones has been a breath of contemporary air, however the Robotic Telephone is a next-level instance of considering past the standard boundaries of cellphone design.
I can not wait to see — and maintain — extra.
If Honor can pull this off with a shifting robotic arm, I will be impressed.
