Repairing the phone’s unique gimbal camera costs significantly more than replacing its telephoto or ultrawide lenses, while the motherboard can cost nearly as much as the device itself.
Honor’s recently launched Robot Phone comes with an unusual feature that sets it apart from conventional smartphones: an integrated gimbal camera system. However, the moving components could also make the device particularly expensive to repair if damaged.
According to repair pricing published on Honor’s official website in China, replacing the Robot Phone’s gimbal camera assembly will cost CNY 3,079 (around $457). The high replacement cost is largely attributed to the complex gimbal mechanism built into the camera system.
The telephoto camera is considerably cheaper to replace, costing CNY 879 (around $130), while the ultrawide camera replacement is priced at CNY 199 (around $29).
The difference in repair costs highlights the additional expense associated with the phone’s mechanical gimbal assembly.
Honor Robot Phone repair costs
The phone’s other components also carry significant repair prices. Replacing the display will cost CNY 1,379 (around $205), while a replacement battery is priced at CNY 319 (around $47).
However, the most expensive component to replace is the motherboard.
For the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage variant, a replacement motherboard costs CNY 4,599 (around $684). The motherboard for the higher-end 16GB RAM and 1TB storage model costs an even more substantial CNY 6,599 (around $981).
The repair prices are particularly notable when compared with the Robot Phone’s retail price in China.
The 12GB/512GB model costs CNY 9,999 (around $1,487), while the 16GB/1TB variant is priced at CNY 12,999 (around $1,933).
This means replacing the motherboard on the top-end model would cost roughly half the price of purchasing an entirely new phone.
The Robot Phone was officially unveiled after months of teasers and promotional showcases. Its integrated gimbal camera is among its most distinctive features, offering enhanced stabilization through a mechanical camera system.
While the technology gives the phone a unique design and photography capabilities, the newly revealed repair prices show that accidental damage to its moving camera assembly could result in a substantial repair bill.