The past year has been incredibly successful for Honor, especially in its home country of China. After quickly stepping in to fill the void left by its former parent company Huawei, Honor has achieved the top position in two major categories within China – highest number of smartphones sold and highest number of foldables sold.
Success within the domestic market is often a good sign that a company is ready to expand internationally, and the past year has demonstrated Honor’s commitment to regaining a prominent position in global markets.
One major achievement for Honor was the introduction of its handsets in India, under the management of Htech led by former Realme CEO Madhav Sheth. The company has also partnered with major local distributor PSAV Global to establish its local division, setting the stage for a strong entry into the Indian market.
Winner: Honor 90
The Honor 90 is a solid midrange smartphone featuring a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a 200 MP main camera, a large AMOLED display with curved edges, and a 5,000 mAh battery with 66W fast charging.
While specifications are indicative of a company’s manufacturing capabilities, the success of the Honor 90 can be measured by its significant sales across every market where it was introduced in 2023. Positioned within a fiercely competitive market of high-performance midrange devices bordering on the premium segment, the achievement of the Honor 90 is truly impressive.
Despite lacking stereo speakers or water resistance, the phone’s sales numbers underscore its strong appeal.
Loser: Honor 90 Pro
In contrast to the success of the Honor 90, the Honor 90 Pro falls into a less favorable position. Despite its launch with a more powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a 32 MP telephoto camera with 2.5x optical zoom, and 90W charging, the device was never released outside of China. The absence of a global launch for the 90 Pro was a missed opportunity for Honor to expand its presence in the premium market, as the company prioritized resources towards promoting the standard version.
Winner: Honor Magic5 Pro
Honor’s CEO, George Zhao, unveiled the Magic5 Pro during a keynote at MWC 2023 in Barcelona, emphasizing the wide availability of the phone, including in Europe.
The Magic5 Pro served as Honor’s flagship in Europe, boasting an attractive design, impressive display and battery life, and noteworthy camera performance. Despite its shortcomings, it remains a commendable flagship, especially with a nearly 30% price reduction from its initial announcement of €1,100.
Loser: MagicOS
While Honor phones are equipped with Google Services, the company’s proprietary user interface, MagicOS, still lags behind in development. MagicOS 7.1, based on Android 13, lacks certain widgets and basic features such as long-press actions on the home screen. The UI has been a persistent issue for Honor since 2022, following the removal of features shared with Huawei. Honor has promised a major revamp with the upcoming MagicOS 8 based on Android 14, slated for release alongside the Magic6 series in January 2024.
Winner: Honor Magic Vs
Despite being launched in November 2022, the global debut of the Magic Vs took place at MWC 2023, with sales commencing a few months later. The Magic Vs introduced a new form factor with an inward vertical hinge, posing a significant challenge to the dominance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold in the foldable market.
Although it has been surpassed in weight by the subsequent Magic V2, the newer device has yet to reach international markets, making the Magic Vs a notable competitor to the Galaxy Z Fold series.
Loser: Honor V Purse
Another entry in the foldable segment, the Honor V Purse was initially presented as a concept and features a thinner profile compared to the Huawei Mate Xs 2. However, it falls short in terms of chipset performance and camera capabilities. Marketed as a fashion accessory first and smartphone second, the V Purse’s high price does not align with its outdated specifications, making it a less appealing choice for consumers.
