Honor believes that foldable and AI technologies are the future of the smartphone industry.
This is according to Honor South Africa General Manager Fred Zhou, who spoke to Aki Anastasiou on the What’s Next podcast.
Zhou said that when it comes to AI, Honor has identified four layers for smartphones:
- Platform-level AI – AI that offers cross-OS and cross-device capabilities.
- OS-level AI – Solutions integrated into the operating system itself.
- Application-level AI – AI tools made available by specific apps.
- On-device AI and Cloud AI – AI that operates between your device and the cloud.
“Most manufacturers are focused on layers three and four, but at Honor, we are focused on all four layers,” said Zhou.
Foldable technology
Zhou added that despite a notable lack of rapid innovation, Honor still sees foldable smartphones as the future of the industry.
He attributed the slow growth of the popularity of foldable devices to several major pain points – weight, bulkiness, and poor battery life.
According to Zhou, this is why Honor prioritised these three elements in its latest foldable smartphone: the Magic V2.
The Magic V2 is 9.9mm thick, weighs 231g, and uses Honor’s latest battery technology to pack 5,000mAh of capacity into the smartphone.
Honor’s growth in South Africa
Honor’s insights into the smartphone industry carry significant weight, as the brand has seen extraordinary growth since being founded in 2013.
It entered the South African market in 2021 and has grown exponentially since – achieving a 600% increase in sales from the beginning to the end of 2023.
While its local success has primarily been in the entry-to-mid-range categories, the recent launch of its Magic 6 Pro and Magic V2 smartphones is a clear shift in strategy towards catering to the flagship market.
Speaking with MyBroadband previously, Zhou was cautious about the initial sales expectations for these high-end models.
“We are not expecting that we will take a lot of consumers from other brands,” said Zhou.
“It’s about building brand awareness. It takes years.”
Long-term plan
Zhou added that Honor wants to be more than a company wherever it operates – it wants to contribute positively to South African society as an ambassador for China.
“We have not only come to do business. We are not only after the profit, to take the money, and go back to China,” said Zhou.
“We are seeking cooperation between South Africa and China.”
