Company plans to connect more than 20,000 AI services through its HONOR AI Connect Platform, expanding beyond smartphones into an open, cross-brand intelligent device ecosystem

HONOR has outlined its strategy to build a global AI device ecosystem during the opening ConnectAI panel discussion at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026. The company presented its transition from a traditional smartphone manufacturer to an AI-first ecosystem player, with the HONOR AI Connect Platform at the center of its plans.

The platform is expected to integrate more than 20,000 AI services by the end of 2026, connecting devices and services across multiple brands and product categories. HONOR's strategy focuses on making AI capabilities available across everyday environments rather than limiting intelligence to individual devices.

Building an Open, Cross-Brand AI Ecosystem

HONOR described its approach as breaking down traditional barriers between hardware platforms. Through the upgraded AI Connect Platform, the company aims to give ecosystem partners access to core AI capabilities, enabling deeper integration and shared intelligence across connected products.

Partnerships, including its collaboration with Orange, are expected to help HONOR expand into areas such as education, smart homes, audio systems, toys, and companion robotics.

The company also introduced the concept of a Personal Avatar, an AI-driven digital identity designed to maintain contextual understanding across a user's connected devices. The concept aims to provide continuity between smartphones, vehicles, smart home systems, and service robots.

Distributed Intelligence Across Devices

HONOR's ecosystem strategy is built around distributed intelligence, where AI operates across multiple devices and environments instead of remaining confined to a single screen or product.

Under this approach, AI agents act as a unified interface across connected experiences. HONOR highlighted two related ideas: decoupling hardware functions into specialized devices and making AI access points available across different everyday contexts.

The HONOR AI Connect Platform is intended to provide the underlying infrastructure for this model, allowing partners to integrate and scale AI services across different product categories and brands.

Augmented Human Intelligence and the Robot Phone

HONOR also presented its concept of Augmented Human Intelligence (AHI), which positions AI-enabled devices as proactive assistants rather than passive tools.

One example is the HONOR Robot Phone, a concept device designed to support autonomous content capture. It can track subjects and record video without requiring users to control every action manually.

The concept reflects HONOR's broader vision for AI-native hardware that can assist users in creative, educational, and everyday activities.

Showcasing AI-Native Hardware at MWC 2026

Alongside its ecosystem announcements, HONOR showcased several hardware products, including the AI-native HONOR Magic V6 foldable smartphone and its latest generation of tablets and PCs.

The products demonstrate the company's focus on integrating AI capabilities directly into consumer devices across different form factors.

HONOR's MWC presentation positioned the AI Connect Platform, ecosystem partnerships, and distributed intelligence as key elements of its longer-term strategy to connect devices and services within a unified digital environment.