Honor Magic 9 Pro may be the first Android phone with a square selfie camera
Honor is set to launch the Magic 9 series on September 28, 2026 in Beijing — a date confirmed by CEO Li Jian — and leaked details suggest the Pro model will carry one of the most distinctive front cameras on an Android phone yet. Chinese insider Digital Chat Station claims the Magic 9 Pro will use a square selfie module, a format Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 in September 2025 and that Honor would be first to bring to Android.
That "first" comes with a caveat: per GSMArena, OPPO and Huawei are also testing 1:1 selfie sensors for upcoming devices. Honor may beat them to market, but the square front camera is quickly becoming an industry trend rather than a single brand's differentiator.
The cameras
On the back, the spec sheet is more clear-cut. The Magic 9 Pro is tipped — reports Gizmochina — for a triple system: a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 200MP periscope telephoto. That dual-200MP zoom combination puts it ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on paper, which uses a single high-resolution telephoto.
Honor Magic 9 Pro is rumored to feature a square selfie camera and dual 200MP rear sensors.
The bigger headline for video shooters may be Honor's partnership with ARRI — the Austrian cinema camera company behind much of Hollywood's high-end production kit. The tie-up brings ARRI LogC3 color science, professional Look presets, and a dedicated movie mode to the phone. It's the first time ARRI has partnered with a smartphone maker, and it gives the Magic 9 Pro a credible edge over rivals chasing the same square-sensor trend.
Timing and price
The September 28 China launch puts Honor squarely in the same window as the expected iPhone 18 Pro reveal, giving it a brief first-mover moment with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 flagship positioning. Whether that matters outside China depends on European availability, which Honor has not confirmed.
The Magic 8 Pro launched in the UK at £1,099 and arrived in Europe around January 2026 — roughly three months after its China debut. A similar lag would put Magic 9 Pro on European shelves in early 2027, with pricing likely in the £1,100–£1,300 range based on Memeburn's competitive analysis. Full specs and official pricing remain unannounced.
