HONOR’s CMO shines the spotlight on the firm’s commitment to innovation

In March, HONOR unveiled the much-awaited artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered Magic6 Pro at LEAP 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – the company’s inaugural launch of its flagship smartphone in the Middle East region.

The smart device brand also showcased its eye-tracking AI function at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which allows users to remotely open and move their car just by looking at their phone screen.

“With the launch of the HONOR Magic6 Pro, HONOR is bringing the platform-level AI into the latest flagship lineup, which enables the new possibility of human-device interaction with the intent-based UI and cross-OS collaboration,” says Dr Ray Guo, HONOR’s chief marketing officer.

The launch of Magic6 Pro in the region closely followed the unveiling of HONOR’s flagship foldable smartphone, Magic V2, in the UAE in February.

HONOR is bolstering its presence and business growth in the Middle East and Africa markets. It achieved significant milestones in the region through the launch of an array of devices tailored to users’ preferences in the local market, leading to a 27.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) surge in brand consideration.

The brand, which has a global presence in more than 100 markets and operates over 3,000 service centres, has recognised the Middle East and Africa, particularly the GCC area, as significant markets for expansion.

Product optimisation, market localisation, an open collaborative ecosystem, advanced AI and tech capabilities, and growing popularity in key markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq continue to give HONOR a competitive edge over industry peers while helping it to rank among the top five players in the region.

With the increase in brand consideration, Guo’s primary objective in the coming years is to expand “our market presence and advance our cooperation with partners in the Middle East region.”

Middle East market

Founded in 2013, HONOR is the world’s leading provider of smart devices and remains committed to becoming a global iconic tech brand that enables smart life across all scenarios and all channels for people.

The brand has been actively growing its presence globally beyond its home market of China. The brand has successfully entered and gained traction in various markets around the world, expanding its reach and customer base – and it’s no surprise the Middle East is part of its overseas growth strategy.

“We are expanding our market presence in the region to enhance cooperation with our local partners, introduce more flagship products as well as establish our premium brand and expand the premium segment locally,” explains Guo.

The brand forayed into the Middle East with the opening of the HONOR Dubai Hub in 2021 – the company’s first distribution centre in the region. Over the years, HONOR has deepened its presence in the region by partnering with telecom services providers and channel partners and opening innovative laboratories, R&D facilities and service centres.

The brand opened its first experience store in Dammam, Saudi Arabia in November 2023. In January, it established the Saudi National Warehouse to optimise its local supply chain and logistics, improving the efficiency of product availability.

A confident Guo says that the expansion of HONOR’s offline presence and flagship shops will deliver the best experience to the brand’s consumers. Furthermore, HONOR unveiled its official online store in February, promising a more convenient delivery of its products across the markets it is currently present in the Middle East. The smart device brand maker also launched its exclusive service centre in Jeddah in March.

On the partnership front, HONOR is working with major operators and channel distributors including Jarir Bookstore, eXtra and stc in Saudi Arabia and Emax, Jumbo, Sharaf DG, Amazon, noon & Etisalat by e& in the UAE.

“We offer HONOR Care+ with an array of services and warranties for user convenience. This includes screen protection, a 30-day replacement policy, GCC warranty, and additional benefits,” reveals Guo.

He highlights that the brand expanded its partnership with Sharaf DG to include repair services for all HONOR products, while its service centre in Jeddah—the company’s first in the Middle East—will advance the user experience. The smart devices provider registered a healthy 154 per cent growth in sales in the Middle East last year, a milestone that solidified its position as the fastest-growing tech brand in the region.

Leveraging AI expertise

HONOR has been betting big on AI for years, having debuted platform-level AI to advance the smartphone user experience with intention-based AI services. The brand recently unveiled the industry’s first “intent-base” interface that can anticipate users’ needs on its flagship smartphones and computers as it pushes deeper into overseas markets.

“Intent-based user interface (IUI) is HONOR’s answer to on-device AI. The IUI on all HONOR’s devices running the latest Magic OS 8.0 can understand the user’s intent and offer services proactively,” Guo says while explaining that “the interface powered by AI can suggest options to the user by predicting their requirement, and then assist in completing the task at hand.”

The company’s AI-enabled intent-based recognition tech can help analyse and make sense of messages and photos and understand users’ intentions based on their daily usage behaviours on devices.

“HONOR joins hands with industry partners to bring to the market its AI-empowered all-scenario strategy by introducing AI-empowered cross-OS collaboration and human-centric intent-based AI, creating a thriving open ecosystem that offers seamless experiences for all,” says Guo.

Similarly, the smart devices provider teamed up with Intel to accelerate the popularisation of AI PC by enabling on-device multi-modal models through a high-performance, low-power chip solution, which unlocks the potential for faster and more efficient AI processing.

Together with Microsoft, HONOR also enables OS Turbo for real-time resource optimisation, AI empowerment for intelligent applications, seamless multi-device interconnection, and ecosystem development. Guo says the smart devices provider believes in a hybrid AI model, utilising on-device AI for personalised content and services while ensuring user privacy with data staying on the device.

Focused on AI-enabled devices

Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative and high-end products enables users to become a better version of themselves.

“Last year started with the launch of the HONOR X9a, featuring the strongest screen in its class, followed by the HONOR Magic 5 Pro as well as the HONOR 90 and closed with the launch of HONOR X9b, which boasts an unbreakable screen and outstanding durability,” Guo shares.

A study by tech research firm Canalys revealed that Middle East smartphone shipments hit 42.5 million units in 2023, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year.

“HONOR is launching flagship devices in the region, including the Honor Magic 5 Pro, while also emphasising brand visibility with successful models in the Honor XA/B series, which has gained wider acceptance in markets such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” the study revealed.

While the brand foray into the overseas markets with its Number and X series, it is now solidifying its position as a major player in the market through the premium Magic series.

“We are introducing more flagship products to establish our premium brand and expand the premium segment in the Middle East. The HONOR Magic V2, the thinnest and lightweight foldable smartphone and the HONOR Magic6 Pro with its range of AI Camera capabilities, are already available locally,” says Guo.

A month after the global launch of HONOR Magic 6 Pro at MWC, HONOR introduced the smartphone in the Middle East and Africa market.

Powered by HONOR’s platform-level AI, HONOR Magic6 Pro comes with the latest Android-based MagicOS 8.0, which debuted the industry’s first intent-based AI to this flagship lineup. With MagicOS 8.0 HONOR Magic6 Pro provides superb performance and generative AI capabilities.

“Recognising the tremendous potential and significance of AI capabilities on mobile devices, the HONOR Magic6 Pro paves the way for the future of smartphones, revolutionising the way people live, work, and connect,” notes Guo.

HONOR Magic6 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a large 5,600mAh battery that can be turbo-charged at up to 80W over a cable or 66W wirelessly. The smartphone’s screen is a 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED display with a resolution of 2800 x 1280 and boasts a peak brightness of up to 5,000 nits.

Its Pro-grade Falcon Camera System and upgraded HONOR AI Motion Sensing Capture empower users to capture decisive moments in a wider range of sports. The device’s 50-megapixel main camera has a variable aperture that can switch between f/1.4 and f/2.0 depending on how much depth of field you want in your shots.

Meanwhile, foldables are redefining the smartphone user experience. HONOR pushed the boundaries of innovation for foldable smartphones on the HONOR Magic V2.

As the most lightweight and thinnest foldable device available in the Middle East and Africa market, the device boasts a high-quality and highly capable foldable form factor, stunning display, all-day battery life, and flagship performance. This combination makes it the go-to foldable device for entrepreneurs.

The HONOR Magic V2’s 5000mAh battery and 66W fast-changing technology empower users to stay connected and productive for extended periods, no matter where your ventures take you.

The company’s ecosystem of smart devices includes the HONOR MagicBook Pro 16, a revolutionary AI-powered laptop built through joint efforts with tech partners including Microsoft, Intel and NVIDIA as well as the much anticipated HONOR MagicRing – one of the core MagicOS technologies.

“HONOR offers a diverse portfolio of smartphones catering to different market segments and consumer preferences in the Middle East region including the durable HONOR X Series, the ‘joyful technology’ HONOR N Series and the flagship HONOR Magic Series,” adds Guo.

Looking forward, Guo says HONOR’s robust investment in Research and Development (R&D) gives “us the competitive edge and ahead of other industry players in the Middle East.” The smart device provider invested 11.5 per cent of its total revenue into R&D.

Read: How HONOR is riding the wave of foldables