With AI being a buzz word in the tech industry, it’s no surprise that smartphone manufacturers are constantly looking to out-innovate the other with devices that can equip users with AI features to help them creatively or assist them in their productivity.
One such brand who has consistently developed and delivered innovative smartphones is none other than HONOR, who has yet again pushed the envelope of how AI can be used with their latest HONOR 400 Pro that delivers Next-Gen AI Imaging.
Display
Offering Eye Comfort Display technology which minimises screen flicker to reduce eye strain in a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals, the HONOR 400 features industry-leading sunlight display enhancement to ensure exceptional visibility even in the brightest sunlight.
This was something I could attest to when I tested out the phone in the bright sunlight while I was out getting lunch. Powered by AI, the screen display was able to automatically detect my environment and optimise the display elements so that it was comfortable to look at my phone despite the biting brightness of an afternoon sun.
In addition to this, the HONOR 400 also offers eye comfort features such as providing hardware-level low blue light technology and the Natural Tone Display which alleviates eye strain by 18%. I particularly liked these features because I have a bad habit of using my phone when I’m in bed with the lights all off.
With other devices, I would often take some time to fall asleep because of the brightness of the phone but with the HONOR 400, it was easy to fall asleep without seeing those imprint of bright flashes when I close my eyes.
A new display technology in the HONOR 400 Pro that is worth taking note of is the Motion Sickness Relief, which helps to reduce nausea and dizziness when you use your phone while you’re in a car.
AI-Driven OS
Powered by the MagicOS 9.0, the HONOR 400 Pro elevates the user experience with a variety of AI-driven smart features such as the AI Summary, AI Minutes, AI Format and AI Correction to help with productivity, and the AI Translation Tool which allows for real-time translation during phone calls between speakers.
On top of the access to Gemini, a Google AI assistant and the on-device AI Deepfake Detection technology introduced earlier, the HONOR 400 Pro is built with the Magic Portal 2.0 for quick and direct access to apps like Grab, Google Maps, Waze, Google Search, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Camera
The HONOR 400 Pro is built with a 200MP Super Sensing Main Camera that is paired with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, f/1.9 aperture, along with OIS + EIS dual stabilisation for superior clarity, even under challenging low-light environments.
In addition to this, the camera system includes a 12MP Ultra-Wide and Macro Camera that captures expansive scenes.
I tested the camera out while I was at Lady Gaga’s concert and was surprised to find that it did work under challenging low-light environments and I was able to take clear videos and photos during her performance.
To further complement the camera experience on the HONOR 400 Pro, the device also includes a 50MP AI Telephoto Camera with a Sony IMX856 sensor, 3x optical zoom, and OIS for a detailed zoom shots. While I had initially thought that AI Super Zoom applied to videos as well, it was only available as an option when I took photos.
The AI Super Zoom on the HONOR 400 Pro elevates mobile photography, offering an AIGC-powered telephoto capability of 15x to 50x zoom — the ideal distance for capturing distant scenes at a concert or even the natural landscape while on holiday.
I tried this out during the night and I was not able to activate the AI Super Zoom. In brighter conditions, however, it worked though it was with some conditions. Of the 13 times that I tried this out, I was only successful 3 times in having the photos automatically edited by AI.
In the photos that were unsuccessful, I realised that they were attributed to my shaky hands as I struggled to hold the focus of the subject steady.
Despite this, the AI results did speak volumes, especially when the edited photos had so much clarity that you couldn’t tell they were zoomed in by more than 35x. I do believe that this the AI Super Zoom is definitely a game changer when it comes to taking photos with a distant subject but it would take a lot of practice on the part of the user to get the angle right.
AI Image to Video
The first AI photography tool that I was excited to try was the industry-leading AI Image to Video that was developed in collaboration with Google Cloud. The feature is more than your typical AI editing tool as it is able to transform digital photos, AI-generated art, or even old pictures into captivating five-second moving visuals.
Think of it like finding a way to bring your inanimate objects to life or keeping old memories alive. To do this, I took a photo of my Totoro plush and fed it through the Image to Video feature in Gallery and within a minute, I had a moving Totoro plush that looked as if my plushie had moved on its own.
Amazed at this, I decided to up the challenge for the AI tool and chose a low-light photo from a concert that had no real distinguishable subject. I was surprised to find that the tool was still able to not only detect the main subject of the photo but also add movements to her without distorting the entire video.
Another feature that is new with the HONOR 400 Pro is the Moving Photo Collage which allows you to combine two to nine moving photos and seamlessly stitch these Live Photos together to make dynamic storytelling moments.
On top of these two AI tools, HONOR 400 Pro has other editing tools too such as the AI Eraser 2.0, AI Erase Passers-by, AI Remove Reflection, and AI Outpainting, which basically taps on AI to expand your image.
Enhanced Hardware Performance
If there is one thing that I particularly loved about the HONOR 400 Pro, it is the robust 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery that provides a long-lasting user experience.
Although being at a concert with no air-conditioning isn’t considered an extremely high-temperature environment, I found that the HONOR 400 Pro was able to withstand the heat and preserve battery life despite me consistently using it to take videos and photos.
Even at the time of writing, it has been two days since I last charged the HONOR 400 Pro, and it still hasn’t depleted in battery yet despite the constant camera usage.
Pricing and Availability
The HONOR 400 Pro is priced at $899 with 24GB RAM (including 12GB HONOR Turbo RAM) and 512GB ROM in three colours — Lunar Grey, Tidal Blue and Midnight Black — and will be available nationwide from 30 May.
From now to 29 May, enjoy exclusive, limited-time free gifts (worth a total of $436) when you pre-order the HONOR 400 Pro. The gifts comprise of an HONOR CHOICE Earbuds Clip, an HONOR CHOICE Watch 2i, a phone case, and a 1-year extended warranty.
You can pre-order yours online at www.honor.com and the official HONOR store on Shopee and Lazada, as well as at HONOR Experience Stores at Causeway Point and NEX, and authorised dealers.
It will subsequently be available at Singtel, M1 and Starhub from 30 May.
