The HONOR Robot Phone’s unusual design has moved from concept-stage curiosity to a product with a reported Chinese price and hands-on testing. Tom’s Guide said the final version would go on sale in China from August 20 for RMB9,999, or about $1,480 at the publication’s conversion. HONOR’s official launch material supplies the company’s description of the camera system and bundled benefits.

The practical difference is the integrated gimbal. Instead of mounting a conventional phone on a separate stabiliser, the Robot Phone carries a motorised camera mechanism inside the handset. Tom’s Guide compared that approach with a pocket gimbal camera, putting the product in competition not only with phones but also with small creator accessories.

HONOR says the mechanism supports AI-powered motion control and cinematic tracking. In a solo filming scenario, that could reduce the need for a second person to operate the camera. It may also make short-form video easier to record, because the phone can physically adjust its framing while the user moves through a scene.

There are trade-offs that a normal phone does not face. A moving camera needs motors, hinges and protective engineering, and the cost of replacing that assembly is not yet established by the sources reviewed. An owner also needs to consider whether a fixed phone camera plus an inexpensive stabiliser would deliver enough of the same benefit for far less money.

The price places the Robot Phone in a premium segment. That means buyers are paying for the mechanism and the software experience as well as for ordinary phone features such as screen quality, processor speed, network bands and battery behaviour. HONOR’s global announcement says buyers receive lifetime YOYO AI Membership SVIP benefits and an accessory pack, but regional terms must be checked before purchase.

The product is also a test of whether AI can be useful when it controls hardware. Voice assistants and generative tools usually change what appears on a screen. A tracking gimbal changes the phone’s physical orientation, which could help creators but also makes permission prompts, face tracking and recording indicators especially important.

The confirmed story is narrower than the most dramatic marketing language: HONOR has launched a mechanically moving camera phone, and Tom’s Guide has tested the final device at a premium Chinese price. Wider availability, long-term durability and independent camera comparisons will determine whether the Robot Phone becomes a category or remains an ambitious first step.