Caira, an artificial intelligence camera, was developed by the British startup Camera Intelligence. The launch of this camera in the US is scheduled for the current month and will cost $999 USD.
The price includes the camera itself, which magnetically attaches to a smartphone (it is compatible with iPhone 12 models and newer), as well as a semi-professional 25mm Lumix lens; the camera also supports other Micro Four Thirds standard lenses.
Caira is equipped with its own image sensor (Sony, 11 megapixels), its own central processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon with eight cores), and a Google Edge TPU AI chip. In fact, the iPhone is used only as a display for controlling the camera application, which is the most interesting part of the device.
The application runs on Google's Nano Banana image algorithm (which is also used in the Gemini AI service).
After a photo is taken, the user can ask the AI to make changes to it. These changes can range from simple ones, such as improving lighting and colors, to more radical ones—changing the background, removing or adding elements, or even adding a smile to a person's face in the picture, among many other functions.
However, this power caused a negative reaction. Because of this, the manufacturer decided to remove the ability to enter custom prompts in the camera app; it now only offers AI commands pre-approved by Camera Intelligence. The AI features require a monthly subscription of $7 USD.
Honor has introduced the Robot Phone in China, an Android smartphone featuring a 200MP camera integrated at the top, equipped with a motorized gimbal. The device aims to simplify stable video production for content creators by eliminating the need for action cameras or external gimbals.
This device integrates the mobile mechanism with person-tracking and voice command functionalities, in addition to incorporating cinematography features. Currently, its availability is limited to the Chinese market, and the price has not been disclosed.
The gimbal offers four degrees of freedom and can rotate up to 300 degrees, allowing the rear camera to also be used for selfies. Activation can be done through the camera app or via a palm gesture directed towards the front camera.
To enable this complexity in a cell phone, Honor developed its own micro-motor. The company reports that this component, made of titanium alloy, weighs only 2.6 grams and occupies 65% less space compared to conventional gimbals.
The complete photographic system includes a 200MP telephoto lens, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP front camera. Gimbal control can be manual or follow pre-established movement patterns during recording. The mechanical stabilization aims to ensure smooth footage even when the user is moving.
Additionally, there is a tracker that keeps a specific person within the frame of view. This feature also operates during video calls; with the magnetic mount included in the packaging, the phone can be placed on a surface while monitoring who is in front of the camera.
Among the offered functionalities, the Yoyo assistant stands out, allowing the camera to move in sync with music, simulate expressions, and analyze the environment to help the assistant describe the scene. However, this feature still has practical limitations, such as the inability to track furniture assembly or alert about omitted steps.
While Honor uses Google's Gemini outside of China, a future international launch could enable integration with Gemini Live. Regarding durability, the presence of an exposed mechanical part raises questions, but Honor assures that it subjected the mechanism to reliability tests for repeated opening and closing movements. A spokesperson confirmed to WIRED that the gimbal 'passed rigorous reliability tests for repeated opening and retraction movements.'
When retracted, the device has an IP54 rating. It is important to note that this protection is not active with the camera open, making recording in the rain a risky option. Technical specifications include a 6.31-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 7,060mAh battery. Charging supports 120W wired and 50W wireless.
Honor has also integrated Arri features, such as LogC3, Arri Looks, and Arri Cinema Mode, resulting in a smartphone that seeks to match the quality of mobile footage with professional equipment. Whether the gimbal will become a useful tool or just a design differentiator will only be determined by daily use.
