Chinese tech company Honor launches its Magic 6 Pro smartphone globally, showcasing an experimental eye-tracking AI feature for remote car control, while also introducing its MagicBook Pro 16 laptop with AI-driven application transfer capabilities. The move comes ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, reflecting a broader industry trend toward leveraging generative AI to revitalize smartphone sales, despite potential legal and ethical considerations.
27 February 2024 – On Sunday, Chinese technology firm Honor unveiled its latest innovation, the Magic 6 Pro smartphone, globally, introducing an experimental eye-tracking AI feature that enables users to remotely control their cars simply by gazing at their phone screens. Initially available in China, the company is actively working to integrate this groundbreaking technology into international markets.
Honor, previously under Huawei Technologies and now owned by state-controlled Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology Co., has expanded its reach beyond China, marking its global debut of the new smartphone model ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The anticipation surrounding advancements in generative AI, including Honor’s eye-tracking feature, reflects a strategic move by tech and telecom companies to invigorate smartphone sales amidst a sluggish market, albeit with potential legal and ethical implications.
Competing in China’s smartphone market against industry giants like Apple and Oppo, Honor is further enhancing its offerings with the integration of LlaMA 2 large language model (LLM), akin to ChatGPT, into its devices. Recent data from the International Data Corporation reveals Honor’s market share in China standing at 17.1%, trailing closely behind Apple’s 17.3% in 2023.
In addition to the Magic 6 Pro smartphone, Honor unveiled its MagicBook Pro 16 laptop featuring AI capabilities facilitating seamless application transfer between devices, underscoring the company’s commitment to innovative synergy in the AI era. George Zhao, CEO of Honor, expressed confidence in the transformative potential of collaborative efforts, emphasizing the significance of AI-driven advancements in shaping the future of technology. – ref: Reuters
