Honor CEO Li Jian announced that the Magic 9 series smartphones are the first devices from the company to receive official certification as true AI-powered smartphones. The company attributes this recognition to years of development in hardware, system-level AI, and the MagicOS platform.
According to the company, a true AI smartphone must integrate intelligence at the system level to recognize user intent and habits, while maintaining cross-application workflows. The Magic 9 series features the updated MagicOS 11 and the YOYO AI agent, which has evolved from a voice assistant into a system-level agent capable of executing tasks across various applications.
Honor has also implemented the Agent Harness system, which the company claims is the first commercial deployment of such technology in the industry. Previously, the company had introduced the Magic 9 Pro Max, focusing on battery life and mobile photography capabilities.
The market for AI-branded devices remains competitive. In October 2024, Honor CEO Zhao Ming demonstrated the Magic 7's capabilities by ordering coffee via voice commands. Other manufacturers have also claimed 'first' status, including Nubia with its NaviX Ultra launched in July 2026 and StepFun with the StepX Neo, which features a multi-step task execution agent.
