Honor launches new smartphone as it eyes expansion in local market

Chinese tech company Honor unveiled its latest smartphone, Magic 8 Pro Air, in its latest push to expand its presence in the home market despite intensified competition.

The move came after Honor recorded fast growth in overseas markets in 2025.

Measuring 6.1 millimeters and weighing only 155 grams, Magic 8 Pro Air features strong performance in photography and battery, the company said.

Honor said its annual global smartphone shipments surpassed 710 million units in 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 9 percent. The company highlighted a particularly strong performance in overseas markets, where shipments jumped by 47 percent, accounting for over half of its total sales for the first time.

Overall, the Chinese smartphone market saw a slight contraction in 2025, with total shipments declining by 0.6 percent year-on-year to about 285 million units, according to the latest report from the market research company International Data Corp.

Looking ahead, IDC anticipates a more pronounced decline in China's smartphone shipments for 2026, driven by escalating cost pressures, market saturation, and extended replacement cycles.