HONOR has used the run-up to the massive Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona to announce its latest foldable Android smartphone, the Magic V6, and (drum roll) the ground-breaking Robot Phone (above).

Let’s look at the Honor Magic V6 first, as this should be the first new smartphone to become available in markets outside China.

V for Victory?

Described by HONOR as the ‘the pinnacle of foldable innovation,’ the stylish Magic V6’s key selling points include its advanced, long-lasting battery, super-slim dimensions and tough but light build.

Indeed, HONOR has managed to squeeze a powerful 6,660mAh battery into the slimmest foldable phone body on the market (8.75mm closed profile). In other words, it’s the largest battery ever in an ultra-slim foldable phone.

The new Magic V6 phone also features dual flagship LTPO 2.0 screens, measuring 6.52 inches externally and 7.95 inches when unfolded.

These deliver adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rates and peak brightness of up to 6000 nits and 5000 nits respectively for HDR content. Including the battery, it weighs 219g (white) and 224g (black and gold).

The HONOR Magic V6 is also the first foldable phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

HONOR Magic V6 camera specifications

HONOR claims the Magic V6 features the best telephoto-camera system on any foldable device. This is based on a 1/2-inch, 64MP telephoto sensor, with CIPA 6.5-rated image stabilisation. The AI-powered AiImage Colour Engine keeps images natural looking but punchy, with AI Cinema Colour enhancing video footage.

• 50MP main camera, f/1.6 with optical image stabilisation (OIS).
• 64MP periscope telephoto camera, f/2.5, 1/2 sensor, OIS
• 50MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2
• 20MP front camera (inner and external screen)
• 6.5 stop image stabilisation

Success hinges on it

The HONOR Magic V6 sounds very robust too, allaying a key concern of foldable phone customers. The phone’s body features materials used in sports car engines for example, while the hinge has been tested for half a million openings and closings – equivalent to a decade’s worth of use.

The HONOR Magic V6 also offers IP68 and IP69 water resistance, so as with the HONOR Magic 8 Lite released last year, this is a phone that will withstand more punishment than the average customer will ever inflict.

HONOR’s also made it easier for the new phone to communicate with Apple devices, presumably in order to lure current iPhone users over to Android; Apple iCloud folders can be accessed more easily, for example, and faster data transfer between iPhones and the Magic V6 is promised.

As yet there are no more details about the pricing and release of the HONOR Magic V6, but it’s promised in the second half of this year.

Aye, robot – Robot Phone puts the android in Android

The biggest razzmatazz at the press launch was saved for the announcement of the HONOR Robot Phone, however. This ‘new species of smartphone’ includes the world’s smallest micro motor, according to HONOR, which in turn powers the industry’s smallest 4DoF gimbal camera system.

In this context, 4DoF refers to ‘depth of freedom’ rather than depth of field – so as well as tracking objects you are shooting or filming, the gimbal system can turn just like your neck, and look from a range of angles.

HONOR claims it is the industry’s first 3-axis gimbal camera, and it’s a cute, fully retractable gizmo that got a lot of ‘seen it all before’ tech journalists at the press launch very excited. With this ingenious mini-motorised gimbal camera system in place, there is no need for a bunch of cameras around the back of the phone.

All well and good, but how can the Robot Phone actually be used? HONOR gave the examples of the Robot Phone following the natural movements of your head when you are making a video call, or even nodding and shaking its head when you ask if it a new outfit or hairstyle suits you – as you’d expect, all this neat functionality is powered by AI, which is deeply embedded in the phone’s DNA.

Apparently the gimbal can even dance to the beats of music or do backflips!

Strong emphasis on video

When it comes to photography and video, exact details are sketchy at this stage, but we understand the Robot Phone will feature a 200MP sensor. The emphasis at the press launch was much more on video recording rather than stills photography, with HONOR promising a motion-sensing AI stabilisation system for rock-steady footage.

Meanwhile, AI Object Tracking enables the Robot Phone to intelligently follow subjects in real time and AI SpinShot supports 90 and 180 degree rotational movement for fluid video recording, even when shooting one-handed.

HONOR also promises editing video will become easier as it continues to develop the AI editing tools in its phones – this makes a lot of sense when you consider the popularity of video amongst all manner of content creators, and the relative complexity of a lot of commercial video-editing software.

Again, there is no confirmation of the HONOR Robot Phone’s pricing and exact availability, though it is also promised for the second half of this year. So it’s not just a fancy prototype or marketing stunt to drive visitors to HONOR’s stand at Mobile World Congress…

Keep coming back for more from Mobile World Congress

The Mobile World Congress show officially opens tomorrow, when I will be able to reveal more about HONOR’s latest phones and robotic innovations!

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