Honor calls its new smartphones true AI devices

Honor has taken another significant step in the mobile market by officially announcing its new flagship devices. According to ixbt.com, Honor CEO Zhao Ming stated that the new Magic 9 series smartphones are the first batch to receive special certification as true AI-powered devices. This recognition is considered the result of the brand's extensive work over many years in hardware, system-level AI, and the MagicOS operating system. This is reported by news source.

The company's leader emphasized that a mobile phone with true AI must not consist merely of pre-installed apps or a custom skin. According to the new concept, the device must support system-level intelligence to accurately understand user intentions and habits, ensure seamless interaction between applications, and meet strict industry standards.

The new evolution of the MagicOS operating system

This certification process indicates that the MagicOS 11 operating system has been fundamentally rebuilt and the YOYO intelligent agent has reached the next level. Honor is presenting its new software as the first system in the industry to commercially implement a system-level Agent Harness.

Furthermore, the updated YOYO AI assistant has moved beyond the status of a simple voice assistant to become a system-level intelligent agent capable of independently performing tasks across multiple applications. As noted by huaweicentral, it is this set of technological components that places the Magic 9 series among true AI phones.

The AI race and market competition

This announcement shows how intense the competition for AI capabilities in the mobile market is becoming. Recall that earlier, Honor management introduced the Magic 7 device as the first smartphone capable of independently ordering coffee via voice commands and managing the entire delivery process. The Magic 9 Pro Max model, which emphasizes autonomy and mobile photography capabilities, was also presented.

However, Honor is not the only company fighting for leadership in the AI-based phone market. Specifically, in July 2026, Nubia launched its NaviX Ultra smartphone in the Chinese market as the "world's first AI smartphone." That same summer, StepFun also showcased the StepX Neo smartphone, which features the world's first mass-market AI agent capable of independently executing multi-stage tasks from start to finish without additional prompts.