HONOR Robot Phone has been selected as one of TIME’s The Best Inventions of 2026, recognising the device for its innovative approach to smartphone design, AI interaction and mobile photography.
Featured alongside other notable innovations, including iPhone Duo, the HONOR Robot Phone brings a new dimension to smartphone photography by combining a robotics-inspired camera system with AI-powered interaction. Rather than keeping the camera fixed in place, the device features a 360-degree rotating gimbal that can move from the rear of the phone and follow subjects as they move, opening up new possibilities for capturing photos and videos.
The concept is designed to make the camera feel more responsive and engaged with its surroundings. Through AI, the Robot Phone can track and interact with subjects, including the user when shooting in selfie mode, allowing the camera to move with the action rather than relying on a fixed perspective. This creates a more dynamic way to capture moments, particularly for moving subjects, group shots and creative video content.
TIME described the device: “The newest gadget from China’s Honor Device Co. gives your cell phone a more engaged camera. The Honor Robot Phone includes a 360-degree rotating gimbal that, upon activation, swivels the camera out from the back of the phone, where AI software helps it track and interact with subjects—or you, in selfie mode—as they move.”
The publication also highlighted the engineering challenge behind the device’s moving camera system. “Getting the gimbal right was tricky, says Thomas Bai, an AI product expert at Honor: ‘we self-developed a micromotor and packed in 100-plus new components.’ When not in use, the gimbal folds itself back flush with the camera panel,” TIME reported.
The Robot Phone reflects a broader shift in smartphone design, where AI is increasingly being integrated not only into software and image processing, but also into the physical way a device interacts with users. By introducing movement into the camera experience, the device explores how robotics and AI can work together to create a more intuitive and expressive approach to mobile photography.
The recognition by TIME places the HONOR Robot Phone among the publication’s selection of notable inventions shaping technology and consumer experiences in 2026, highlighting its distinctive combination of design, AI and camera innovation.
