Honor, at the IFA trade show in Berlin, announced a new lineup of devices, including a folding phone, a tablet, and a smartwatch. The centerpiece of its presentation was the Honor Magic V3, a sleek folding phone designed to rival Google and Samsung’s flagship foldable models. Already available in China, Honor has set its sights on a global audience with plans to launch the device across the EU later this year.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Ambitious Moves in the Foldable Market
Honor isn’t shying away from challenging established players in the foldable phone market. The Magic V3, their latest folding phone, directly competes with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Magic V3 sports a book-style fold with a 6.43-inch outer display and a 7.92-inch inner screen. When folded, it measures just 9.2mm in thickness, and when opened, it thins down to 4.6mm, making it slimmer than both the 9 Pro Fold and the Z Fold 6. It is also lighter, weighing only 7.97 ounces compared to its competitors.
To achieve this slim design, Honor used a special fiber and a steel hinge that can withstand 500,000 folds while reducing weight. The screens on the Magic V3 feature an AI Defocus Display, which minimizes eye strain with risk-free dimming technology and aligns with the user’s circadian rhythm and ambient light. The inner screen also includes a NanoCrystal Shield to protect against scratches.
AI Features Enhance the User Experience
Honor has infused artificial intelligence into the Magic V3’s camera system, offering a 50MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto camera, and a 40MP ultra-wide camera. The AI features include the AI Portrait Engine for optimized portraits, AI Motion Sensing for capturing fast action shots, and AI Eraser for editing photos directly in the gallery. The device also allows live translation on both screens and supports multitasking with two floating apps. However, despite the integration with Google’s ecosystem, the phone does not come equipped with Google’s Gemini AI.
Additional specifications of the Magic V3 include a 5150mAh battery, rapid 66W wired charging, and 50W wireless charging. The phone will be available in Black, Green, and Reddish Brown.
New Tablet and Smartwatch Enter the Scene
Honor also unveiled the MagicPad 2, a tablet built to challenge Apple’s dominance in the market. This sleek device is just 5.8mm thick and weighs 1.22 pounds, with a 12.3-inch screen that uses the same AI Defocus technology and PWM dimming as the Magic V3. The screen refreshes at 144Hz, providing a smooth visual experience. It also boasts IMAX-Enhanced certification for superior audio quality with DTS and Spatial Audio. Under the hood, the MagicPad 2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and runs on MagicOS 8.0, which includes features like text-to-handwriting conversion and mathematical formula recognition. It comes in Black and Moonlight White.
The Honor Watch 5, the final device in the lineup, offers a 1.85-inch AMOLED display with high pixel density and an impressive battery life of up to 15 days, thanks to Turbo X Smart Power Management. The watch tracks various health metrics and features precise GPS tracking for workouts. It will be available in Black, Gold, and Green.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Honor is clearly targeting a global market with its latest releases, presenting a direct challenge to established brands like Google, Samsung, and Apple. With the thinnest foldable phone on the market and a lineup of devices enhanced with AI features, Honor aims to set a new standard for mobile technology. As these products make their way to the EU market, it will be interesting to see how consumers respond and whether Honor can carve out a significant share in the competitive tech landscape. The company’s strategy reflects its ambition to be a major player in the high-end tech market, challenging the status quo with innovation and sleek design.