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In what was definitely the most showstopping moment of Mobile World Congress so far, Honor’s new humanoid robot hit the stage on Sunday with a dance number choreographed to Believer by Imagine Dragons.
This is the first time a phone-maker has unveiled a humanoid robot, setting Honor apart from its Android rivals in a big way.
Alongside four backing dancers, the robot showed off its dance moves, which included an impressive moonwalk, before being joined on stage by Honor CEO James Li, who shook its hand and then encouraged it to do a backflip. It didn’t quite stick the landing, but saved itself from falling with an outstretched hand.
Honor announced its move into robotics in October last year when it said it was making a Robot Phone. At CES in January, we got our first glimpse of a non-working version of the phone. This week at MWC in Barcelona, Honor is showing a working demo of the Robot Phone, with a self-aware, responsive camera arm.
Just before the show, Honor said that not only would it be bringing the Robot Phone to Barcelona, but an actual humanoid robot. It’s a bold move for a company that so far has only been known for making phones, tablets and laptops. But it also sees the company joining a broader trend we witnessed at CES in January – namely, launching a humanoid robot designed to live and work alongside us in the very near, if not immediate, future.
Unlike many robotics companies that build industrial robots first, with plans to expand into consumer robots at a much later date, Honor is designing its humanoid for consumers from the start. The company says its robots will be designed for three core scenarios: shopping assistance, workplace inspections and supportive companionship.
Last year in Barcelona, Honor announced a $10 billion investment in AI – but at the time, it only hinted that this would include physical AI. It turns out its AI ambitions stretch far beyond software into robotics, and it seems the company might just be getting started.
“I believe AI must spin out… and into our physical world,” said Li on stage at the Honor event. “This is why we create Honor robots. If the smartphone is an extension of our minds, the robot would be an extension of our hands. It connects us to a whole new world of services.”
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