logo
Smartphone maker Honor joins robotics race after pledging US$10 billion AI investment

Smartphone maker Honor joins robotics race after pledging US$10 billion AI investment

Chinese smartphone maker Honor has joined the country's heated race to develop robots, as it aims to reposition itself as an artificial intelligence (AI) player amid heightened competition in the Android handset market.
Honor said on Wednesday that it would develop its own robots, and that it had already helped Chinese start-up Unitree Robotics break the record for running speed by a humanoid robot.
The Shenzhen-based firm, a spin-off from telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies, said that its robotics efforts would include working with partners 'to enable more possibilities'.
Honor's intended foray into China's
crowded robotics space comes after its newly appointed CEO James Li Jian announced a
high-profile AI initiative earlier this year that he called the 'Honor Alpha plan'.
The plan will see the firm invest US$10 billion over the next five years to transform itself from a smartphone maker into 'an ecosystem company' focused on AI devices, Li said ahead of the MWC Barcelona trade show in Spain in March.
Honor used its proprietary AI algorithm to train a robot from Chinese start-up Unitree. The machine achieved a peak running speed of 4-metres per second, breaking the record for humanoid robots, the company said on Wednesday at a launch event in Shenzhen for its new Honor 400 series handsets.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

China's Unitree debuts US$5,900 humanoid robot in race to make cheaper products
China's Unitree debuts US$5,900 humanoid robot in race to make cheaper products

South China Morning Post

time3 days ago

  • South China Morning Post

China's Unitree debuts US$5,900 humanoid robot in race to make cheaper products

Unitree Robotics, which is gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO), unveiled its R1 humanoid model priced from 39,999 yuan (US$5,900), making it affordable for individual developers and consumers. Advertisement Marketed as 'born for sport', the R1 was seen doing a cartwheel, walking on its 'hands', throwing a punch, lying down then standing up, and running down a hill, according to a video posted on Chinese social media on Friday. The machine weighs 25 kilograms and features 26 joints. The company has not disclosed other details. The R1 is the cheapest humanoid robot from the Hangzhou, Zhejiang province-based unicorn. Two earlier models, the G1 which stands 130cm tall and weighs 35kg, and the H1 at 180cm and weighing 47kg, start at 99,000 yuan and 650,000 yuan, respectively. These prices are cheaper than offerings from Chinese rivals. In March, Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics released a life-size humanoid robot for research purposes, priced at 299,000 yuan. Shenzhen-based EngineAI's PM01 model , released in December, was on sale for 88,000 yuan as of the end of March, but it is only 138cm tall. Unitree Robotics said its R1 was 'born for sport'. Photo: Handout

Tech takes centre stage as Chinese students weigh up major choices
Tech takes centre stage as Chinese students weigh up major choices

South China Morning Post

time14-07-2025

  • South China Morning Post

Tech takes centre stage as Chinese students weigh up major choices

Like millions of Chinese students, 18-year-old He Junjie is anxiously waiting to see which university and major will admit him after last month's intensely competitive National Higher Education Entrance Examination, or gaokao. After evaluating his score and studying the universities and programmes he qualified for, He focused on engineering when submitting his applications a few weeks ago. Information and communications technology, as well as vehicle engineering, were the top choices, the young man from east China's Zhejiang province said, because they 'represent the direction of future industrial development'. 'Many of my classmates have also chosen majors related to new technology and engineering, because we think there's quite a lot of demand for such talent in Hangzhou,' He said, referring to the provincial capital that is home to artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek and humanoid robotics firm Unitree Robotics. While international trade and urban planning were among the most popular subjects with students two decades ago, when China joined the World Trade Organization and its property market started to boom, a new wave of technology-focused academic priorities is reshaping higher education. Engineering disciplines related to possible technological advancements have reigned supreme as China's state-driven system funnels students into such fields amid intensified tech competition with the United States.

Samsung bets on slimmer AI foldable phones to challenge Apple, Chinese rivals
Samsung bets on slimmer AI foldable phones to challenge Apple, Chinese rivals

South China Morning Post

time10-07-2025

  • South China Morning Post

Samsung bets on slimmer AI foldable phones to challenge Apple, Chinese rivals

Samsung Electronics on Wednesday unveiled thinner, lighter new foldable phones as it aims to fend off Chinese competition in the higher-margin, premium segment that remains untapped by arch rival Apple. The stakes are high. The South Korean company lost its global smartphone crown to Apple in 2023, and faces growing competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei Technologies and Honor Meanwhile, Samsung's mainstay chip business has suffered a profit slump stemming in part from its delayed supply of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to Nvidia. Samsung's mobile president and chief operating officer, Choi Won-joon, said his most important mission was to make Samsung a leader in AI-powered smartphones. 'I believe that foldable phones, integrated with AI features, are ready to become mainstream by offering a unique, differentiated experience,' he told Reuters in his first media interview since being promoted in March. Samsung's mobile president and chief operating officer, Choi Won-joon. Photo: Reuters He said Samsung aimed to take a leadership position in AI by enhancing cooperation with external partners like Google, unlike Apple, which has been using in-house AI technology that has faced delays in adding key features.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store