Honor Robot Phone leaked hands-on video reveals its robotic camera gimbal and chunky design
Honor’s unusual Robot Phone is getting closer to its official debut, and a newly leaked hands-on video has offered one of the clearest looks yet at its standout feature: a motorized camera gimbal that rises from the back of the device and actively tracks subjects.
The phone is scheduled to appear at the World AI Conference in China on July 18, where Honor is expected to showcase its AI-powered camera system in more detail. While the company has already teased parts of the design and shared some early information, the latest footage gives a more practical look at how the device may work in everyday use.
In the leaked video, the Honor Robot Phone appears with its camera module tucked into a large rear camera island. Inside the camera app, a dedicated on-screen button activates the mechanism. Once pressed, a small robotic arm lifts the camera gimbal out of its housing and positions it above the phone.
The movement is the main attraction. After the camera rises into place, it seems to lock onto a subject and follow it automatically. Even when the phone is moved slightly, the gimbal adjusts its angle to keep the subject framed. The result is noticeably smooth footage, suggesting Honor is aiming to combine smartphone photography, AI subject tracking, and mechanical stabilization in a way that feels closer to a mini robotic camera than a traditional phone camera.
This could make the Honor Robot Phone especially interesting for vloggers, livestreamers, content creators, and users who regularly shoot video on their phones. A built-in moving gimbal could reduce the need for external stabilizers, while automatic tracking may help keep people, pets, or objects centered in the frame without constant manual adjustment.
The hands-on footage also reveals one important trade-off: thickness. The Honor Robot Phone looks bulkier than a typical flagship smartphone, likely because the company had to make room for the robotic arm, gimbal system, and reinforced camera housing. The rear camera island appears even thicker than the main body, giving the device a noticeably raised profile.
Along the right side of the phone, the video shows the power button, volume controls, and what appears to be an additional camera-focused control button. This could be a capacitive camera key designed for quick shooting, zoom control, or activating camera functions, although Honor has not yet fully confirmed its purpose.
The Honor Robot Phone is expected to launch first in China, with a wider release still uncertain. Pre-orders are already said to be live in the Chinese market, and company leadership has indicated that the device is ready. That raises the possibility that Honor may announce launch details during its July 18 showcase.
For now, the Robot Phone stands out as one of the more experimental smartphone concepts of the year. Instead of simply improving sensors or adding more lenses, Honor is trying to rethink how a phone camera physically moves and interacts with subjects. If the final product performs as smoothly as the leaked video suggests, it could become one of the most talked-about AI smartphones of 2026.
