We took a look at how modern smartphones are made, and we saw something we really didn’t expect in Honor’s fully developed factory.
In November, we had the opportunity to travel to China and visit Honor’s factory and laboratory there, talk to the engineers, and finally visit a truly special Honor store. When we were there, Honor Magic6 Pro devices were rolling off the assembly line, but we also managed to get our hands on the Magic7 Pro, which will be released in Hungary at the beginning of 2025, and used it for a few days. You can read our report on this here, so in this article we will not say much more about the next top model.
Hybrid production in the shadow of total mechanization
Honor’s R&D department, offices and factory are spread over a huge area in Shenzhen, where we visited the lab and a production line. In the area larger than 135,000 m2, there are a total of 5 factory buildings and two laboratories in addition to the necessary offices and other facilities. The individual units are connected to each other by a 5G+ industrial communication internal network, and the level of intelligent production is very high even by local standards. However, the total automation rate is only 85%, which you might think is remarkably low.
And indeed, when I was guided through the Magic6 Pro production line, roughly every 3-5 stations, one job was done not by a machine, but by a human. The lead engineer gave a very interesting answer to our legitimate question, in our opinion, as to why the seemingly repetitive steps were not automated. The workers on these advanced production lines are not simple trained employees who have been shown to check connections or how to screw in a few screws.
A significant part of the people we see are engineering students and university students, who work specifically next to the modern production line to learn first-hand how production is done. Most of the employees are engineers, so they not only carry out inspections, if necessary, they can also deal with emerging errors immediately, they are able to adjust the machines, etc. Efficiency is well illustrated by the fact that a smartphone is completed every 28.5 seconds – boxed, labeled and foiled.
Cell phones are not spared
The test lab is also located in a huge area, but it is divided into smaller and larger rooms. Here, all the features of Honor devices are tested and the results are analyzed. This includes radiation measurements and injuries caused by mechanical impact, so for example countless machines just hit and throw mobile phones 24 hours a day, and at other stations the hinge of the Magic V3 is tested so that the machines keep closing and opening the mobile phone.
This building also houses several development laboratories where new technologies are tested. One of Honor’s prides is the silicon-carbon battery, with which they were able to realize a larger capacity in a smaller space, while heating does not cause more problems than with normal LiPo or Li-Ion batteries. They also work here on the latest technologies, on the construction of the next mobiles and, for example, on the design of even more efficient cooling, which the Snapdragon 8 series really needs.
What does the future bring?
At the end of the tour, we were able to exchange a few words with Honor’s engineers and product managers. Honor notebooks are not yet available in Hungary, but it is worth knowing that the company has been designing and distributing x86 laptops for several generations. The most recent one, the MagicBook Art 14, was presented just this fall, and a version equipped with a Snapdragon SoC was also made.
Even then, it was suspicious that the manufacturer pushed the Intel version less prominently, and we had the opportunity to ask about this. The answer was really interesting: starting in 2025, the company intends to gradually switch to the ARM architecture in all areas, which means that the ARM SoC will become increasingly prominent in the world of PCs in addition to mobile phones and tablets. The reason behind the decision is the ever-improving non-x86 SoCs specifically intended for PCs, as well as the fact that they are thus able to achieve even better interoperability between individual devices.
In the world of mobile phones, the arrival of the Honor Magic7 Pro, already released in China, can be taken as cash, but the Magic V4 device is already being developed in the depths of the labs. Of course, nothing has been revealed about this yet, we only learned that the stylus will play a much more important role than in the case of the previous model.
The sample shop
After the factory visit, we also went to an Honor store, which is one of the most beautiful stores in the world. Unusually, the focus was not on maximizing the use of space, so the central part of the store is an open inner garden, which the store surrounds. Even the entrance is impressive, and inside you won’t find Honor devices on top of each other.
An entire wall is filled with the works of Honor Talents for purchase, where you can choose a wide variety of unique and special accessories for your Honor device, from umbrellas to cases to laptop bags. The shop also has specialist advice and service, as well as a Harcourt photography studio, and on the lower floor there is also a small exhibition. In the sample store, of course, you will find all Honor gadgets, but you can also find relevant devices from other manufacturers.
Source: www.pcwplus.hu
