HONOR Robot Phone’s mechanical camera system appears to be its main durability trade-off. In a JerryRigEverything test, dust and sand entered the gimbal mechanism and prevented the camera from deploying normally, even as the phone itself survived a bend test.
- The front glass scratched at level 6 on the Mohs scale, with deeper marks at level 7.
- The aluminum-framed, 248-gram handset withstood the bend test despite housing motors and mechanical parts in its upper section.
- Following exposure to dust and sand, particles interfered with the robotic arm and stopped the camera from extending as intended.
The teardown by Zack Nelson also highlights the complexity behind the design. HONOR uses a 4DoF mechanical gimbal, and the robotic arm is firmly attached to the chassis. The device has two 200 MP cameras, including a periscope telephoto unit with optical image stabilization.
Thermal design is another notable detail. The gimbal camera becomes considerably warm during use, while the vapor chamber is attached to the rear of the display, allowing the screen assembly to contribute to heat dissipation.
HONOR officially launched the Robot Phone in August, moving it beyond concept status. The test underscores the drawback of its moving camera hardware: a fully enclosed camera module does not face the same exposure risk from fine debris.
Repair costs could amplify that concern. The robotic camera replacement part was listed in China at CNY 3,079. HONOR has not confirmed replacement pricing or repair availability for other markets.
