Latest news with #400Pro
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Honor and Blue Bulls announce technology device partnership
The technology and innovation company has been announced as the technology device partner, ushering in an era of technologically driven performance for the Pretoria outfit. The Blue Bulls are proud to announce global technology brand, Honor, as their exclusive technology devices sponsor. The significance of this partnership signifies the huge shift that has been happening in global sports, in which gaming tactics and technology are increasingly relying on each other to ensure the best possible team coordination and performance outcomes. The collaboration emphasises Honor's dedication to fuse useful technology with everyday life, work and play. The brand's notable 180% growth rate in 2024 and the milestone achievement of over one million units sold in South Africa demonstrate its investment and activity in the South African market. Its latest corporate strategy, the HONOR ALPHA PLAN, aims to transform the future of AI and smart technology, from digital AI agents to physical applications that will redefine human interaction with intelligent devices. As the technology partner to the Bulls, Honor will equip the team with smart technology, supporting the players and technical teams with smart devices across its extensive product range to improve their game, connect with fans and simplify their daily living. Fred Zhou, CEO of Honor Technologies Africa, expressed that, 'The Blue Bulls are a South African brand that is synonymous with sporting achievement that unites South Africans from all walks of life. The team has a great history of brilliance in on-the-field performance as well as fostering a strong relationship with communities that form part of its fanbase. As Honor, we've decided to join this family and together we intend on ushering an era of technology and innovation-driven performance and connection.' Rugby is a huge part of the lives of South Africans. Every success achieved on the pitch has a significant impact on the mood and attitude of the country. The link between this sporting culture and technological innovation can only maximise the success we've come to expect over the years. 'For us as the Bulls, this partnership with Honor entrenches our longstanding commitment to continually improve the efficacy of our team's coordination, communication and performance on and off the field. This extends beyond the players and technical staff, but to the fans who have supported this great team and who see it as an extension of themselves,' says Blue Bulls CEO, Edgar Rathbone. Seamless trust between technological innovation and people can be likened to the tact, adaptability and awareness required in the field of play. The association between performance and innovation is implicit. 'As with our recently launched HONOR 400 & 400 Pro devices which deliver steady, social-ready results every time, manifested in crisp, AI-enhanced zoom of up to 50×, the Blue Bulls player is an individual who stays steps ahead in the game, and I must say that we're glad to be partnership with them,' summed up Fred Zhou.
Irish Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Honor 400 Pro tested to see can it replace high-end phone costing twice as much
I tested the €799 Honor 400 Pro for a few weeks as my main smartphone to see if it could replace the high-end flagships that can cost twice as much. I placed my SIM in the gorgeous looking handset and used it as my primary Android device, for everything from calls and messaging apps to web browsing, video streaming and a bit of casual gaming. The 400 Pro highlights what an important international player the firm is on the Android landscape as it introduced a fun new Gemini AI tool, Image to Video (based on Google's Veo 3 software), before both Google and Samsung. READ MORE: Honor 400 Lite review: premium iPhone styling and excellent battery life for less than €300 Honor has been growing steadily in popularity in the Irish market in recent years, and its smartphones can now be snapped up at all the main network operator stores as well as SIM-free outlets such as Harvey Norman. The firm now has an authorised Irish repair centre at Fonfix, giving consumers peace of mind that they are able to get the same after-sales service as customers of more established brands such as Apple and Samsung. Honor 400 Pro smartphone (Image: Mark Kavanagh) This may do a lot to persuade potential customers to take a chance on a top-notch flagship such as Honor Magic 7 Pro that was released earlier this year. Or it could instill confidence to be tempted by a foldable such as the Magic V3 over better known rivals such as Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 6. But despite this, Honor's biggest impact in the Irish market so far has been in the mid-range and budget sectors and that's no surprise given the quality of the products it has been releasing in those segments. Honor 400 Pro costs less than €800 if you buy it outright - at Harvey Norman and elsewhere you can do this by spreading the cost out over the year without tying yourself to a lengthy network operator contract. The phone, incidentally, is available from free on Tesco BillPay and Tesco Mobile if you prefer to buy your handsets that way. Honor 400 Pro in everyday use For the average consumer, Honor's mid-range marvel will take care of all of their everyday needs with flagship style finesse. I can say this with conviction because the 400 Pro was enough for a heavy productivity hound such as me throughout my period of intensive testing. Honor 400 Pro smartphone camera system (Image: Mark Kavanagh) The camera system is especially pleasing. You get a 200MP primary camera with a large 1/1.4in sensor and f/1.9 aperture flanked by a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera with autofocus and a 50MP 68mm telephoto camera with optical image stabilisation and 3x optical zoom. The 400 Pro also introduces a fun new AI feature Image to Video that can animate stills with occasionally dramatic effect. It's a great talking point and all my friends and family had strong opinions on it, both positive and negative. You get the same excellent Studio Harcourt portrait effects that debuted with the Honor 200 series and look as stunning as ever. Honor 400 Pro can capture video at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second (fps) on the main and telephoto cameras, while the ultrawide and 50MP f/2.0 selfie cameras are capped at 4K 30 fps. The camera module sports a refreshing new design, sitting off-centre with a polished frame that ramps up around the triple lens array which are positioned in a triangular layout. The unit is powered by the 2024 top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 12GB RAM, which is more than enough power for multitasking and running the latest graphically intensive games. In everyday use you get smooth and responsive performance even when multitasking or working across two apps on split-screen. Gaming is well catered for too. Honor 400 Pro will run any AAA title you wish on the highest graphics settings with relative ease. Honor 400 Pro smartphone runs MagicOS 9 (Image: Mark Kavanagh) Honor 400 Pro runs the firm's imperfect but improving MagicOS 9 software atop Android 15 and it comes with lots of AI tricks and tools such as the ground-breaking Gemini Image To Video feature which was released globally first on this phone. Choose any image in your gallery and Gemini AI will transform it into a five-second video. On top of all this is a dazzling 6.7in AMOLED display with 2800x1280 FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 5000 nits when viewing HDR content. The screen also boasts the firm's renowned eye care features. Colours appear accurate, along and you will marvel at the exceptional contrast from the AMOLED panel. I love the design and build and the phone sits comfortably in the hand and screams premium just like a flagship. It reminds me a little of Huawei's flagship Pura 70 Pro. The 400 Pro has a quad-curved design on the front and glass back, with gently curved plastic rails on the sides. Despite the plastic frame, it still looks premium and it feels robustly made. Durability is not an issue and you get both IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. The relatively light 205g weight is a plus point. My review unit was Midnight Black but it's also available in Lunar Grey. Other Honor 400 Pro features (Image: Mark Kavanagh) Honor 400 Pro sports pleasing stereo speakers. In Ireland, it comes with 512GB of storage as standard. The 5300mAh silicon-carbon battery will last for two days for most users. And if you do run out sooner, fear not as the device supports insane 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. Another big plus is the firm now promises six years of major OS upgrades and six years of security patches. On the downside, the Magic OS Android software does not feel as smooth and slick as the operating systems on Google, Oppo and Samsung but I suspect only a tech reviewer such as me is likely to notice its minor shortcomings. Honor 400 Pro verdict Honor's great run continues on a solid smartphone performer with an impressive feature-set. Honor 400 Pro can do all the essentials for a reasonable price. You get a speedy chip, stylish design, pleasing camera hardware, flagship-grade AI tools, excellent battery and superfast charging. It's a direct competitor to similarly priced phones such as Oppo's Reno 13 Pro (which uses a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chip) and Apple's iPhone 16e (which only has one camera). It's easy after testing to see why Honor 400 Pro has become the firm's fastest selling smartphone in Ireland (and elsewhere). Honor 400 Pro pricing and availability Honor 400 Pro costs €799 from Harvey Norman. It's also available from Three and Tesco Mobile. 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The Citizen
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Honor 400 series: How slick is really slick?
The newly launched Honor 400 and 400 Pro proves that quiet design, real-world AI and performance make the loudest statement. There's a clear shift in what South Africans expect from a smartphone. Performance matters but so does style. With a frosted finish, flat edges and carefully considered colours, the new Honor 400 series looks the part, without even trying too hard. Both the Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro seize the spotlight when the cameras roll, meetings start and when the cutting-edge AI content possibilities make their entrance with a gasp. Smartphone features matter in Mzansi, which is why most new launches loudly announce their shopping list of specs. Yet, the Honor 400 series knows how confusing this can be for those wanting a device with the right form and fit. This is why they've focused on making their own flair flow into everyday life. It's like great style – it should speak for itself, without needing to be explained. That's exactly where the Honor 400 Series is slicker than the average. At a glance, they carry all the symbols of a high-end device from frosted-glass finishes, polished camera layout, symmetrical lines and simplified style. Both devices then follow through with the confidence to show up in the hands of the right people: creators, entrepreneurs, future-focused students and professionals – who don't just use their phones, they rely on them. Wherever they need to impress, they look the part from power to performance. In lecture halls and study cafés, where next-gen minds capture ideas and edit on the fly; At launch events and small business pop-ups, where content needs to be shot, cleaned and shared instantly; Behind the lens of stylists, designers and curators, where its AMOLED accuracy matters; Or on daily runs of meetings, meetings and more meetings, where battery life can't tap out early. Slick in all the right spaces The AI-enhanced camera system adds to this series' aura. A 200MP main sensor, combined with AI Portrait Snap and Veo 2-powered Image-to-Video, makes your best moment reel-ready without the need for retouching. On the Honor Pro, a 50MP telephoto and 50× AI SuperZoom takes storytelling to new heights and distances. Whether you're translating a business call or reviewing footage under pressure, the Snapdragon chips, supported by MagicOS 9.0 and a 6000mAh battery, keep it on point and on target – power that goes on and on. In an industry where specs often shout, the Honor 400 Series simply fits, effortlessly, elegantly and clearly designed for people who prefer to be noticed for all the right reasons. Because sometimes, the slickest moves are the ones that just quietly step into the spotlight.
The Citizen
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
The HONOR 400 & 400 Pro launch underscores
Following strong uptake of its AI-powered innovations in South Africa, HONOR has introduced the new HONOR 400 and HONOR 400 Pro. This is a launch that could further entrench the brand's momentum in the local mid-to-premium market. Unveiled at Kyalami Racecourse, the event brought together government and industry voices, including Communications Minister, The Honorable Mr. Solly Malatsi, underscoring the growing alignment between mobile innovation and digital policy. The HONOR 400 & 400 Pro marks a notable shift in normalising access to premium technology. These devices bring high-end features into a more accessible range, including: The first global rollout of Google Cloud's Veo 2 Image-to-Video tool , built directly into the phone's gallery , built directly into the phone's gallery AI Deepfake Detection and on-device call translation to meet the privacy and productivity demands, which can detect whether the participant in a video call is using deepfake technology. and to meet the privacy and productivity demands, which can detect whether the participant in a video call is using deepfake technology. HONOR's 50× AI SuperZoom , intelligent editing tools and the incredible 200MP main sensor , intelligent editing tools and the incredible 200MP main sensor A 6000mAh silicon-carbon battery, IP-rated build quality and MagicOS 9.0 across the range and a big storage of 12+512G. The HONOR 400 is powered by a Snapdragon, while the 400 Pro introduces Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance. Both devices are supported by Android updates and security patches, a rare commitment in this segment. The HONOR 400 Series is launched with a promotional offer: Buyers will receive R8000 worth of additional value in the form of the HONOR Choice Watch 2i, HONOR Choice Earbuds X7 Lite and an HONOR Choice Powerbank 10000mAh until 31 July 2025. Available from Vodacom, MTN, Telkom and Cell C, the HONOR 400 is priced from 12,999 and the HONOR 400 Pro from R17,999. With hardware innovation backed by long-term AI investment, HONOR is further positioning itself as both a product leader and a strategic player in South Africa's mobile economy. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
23-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
HONOR Technologies unveils the HONOR 400 series: A bold vision for South Africa
HONOR CEO Fred Zhou launched the new HONOR 400 and 400 Pro series on Thursday. Image: Supplied In a vibrant and electrifying atmosphere at the Kyalami Racetrack in Midrand, Johannesburg, HONOR Technologies SA recently unveiled its latest smartphone offerings, the HONOR 400 and HONOR 400 Pro. The launch event not only showcased the new devices but also highlighted the company's ambitious plans for the South African market, where it aims to make a significant impact in the coming years. The new HONOR 400 series has already demonstrated its prowess by outperforming previous models in various regions, witnessing growth rates of 202% in the Middle East, 138% in China, and 91% in Europe. Such impressive figures mark a historic milestone for the renowned smartphone brand, which has set its sights firmly on the South African landscape. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading During the launch, CEO Fred Zhou shared the company's remarkable progress, revealing that HONOR's gross performance has grown to 11% market share in South Africa, with an even more significant 17% in the post-paid segment. This positions HONOR as one of the top two players in the country by April 2025. Zhou expressed his bold ambition for the brand: to rise to the number one smartphone manufacturer in South Africa by 2028. 'This growth is attributed to our collaboration with business partners, service providers, and dedicated HONOR staff,' Zhou remarked, acknowledging the collective efforts that have led to this success. However, HONOR's vision extends beyond just smartphones. Zhou emphasised the company's commitment to community upliftment, describing its philosophy of being a 'bridge between South Africa and China'. This approach centres on promoting culture, education, and community development. To date, HONOR has donated more than two million devices to non-profit organisations and is actively engaging in coding initiatives across the country through its 'Code With HONOR' programme. One of the highlights of the launch was the introduction of the 'HONOR Talents' initiative, designed to celebrate and elevate South African talent on a global scale. Last year, Zilungile Hanise, a talented artist from Gqeberha, emerged as the first global winner of the HONOR Talents: Global Design Awards, a collaboration with the National Youth Development Agency. 'We believe talent is everywhere and just waits to be found,' Zhou stated, underlining the importance of supporting local creatives in reaching international recognition. HONOR's commitment to fostering innovation in the youth was further demonstrated through its 'Girls in ICT' programme. In April, the company hosted 40 schoolgirls, providing them with mentorship and exposure to a dynamic tech environment. 'We believe girls are the future of the country,' Zhou noted, highlighting the importance of nurturing young minds in technology. HONOR collaborated with South African producers DJ Tira and DJ Maphorisa. Image: Mapaseka Mogotsi The launch also reflected a fusion of culture and technology, evident in HONOR's collaboration with celebrated South African producers DJ Tira and DJ Maphorisa during the unveiling of the HONOR X9c in February. This collaboration not only showcased local talent but also allowed budding artists like Thapelo Gift Khoza to gain exposure; Khoza's music video on TikTok received over 500,000 views, leading him to win the 'Unbreakable Song Challenge' and take home R20,000 cash. Following this success, the 'New Song Challenge' was announced, offering the winner R50,000 and a single release with the prominent DJs. It will start from July 1, 2025. HONOR is the official tech sponsor of Bafana Bafana. Image: Mapaseka Mogotsi In a strategic move that extends beyond technology, HONOR has ventured into sports sponsorship by becoming the official sponsor of Bafana Bafana. This partnership promises to enhance the team's technological capabilities while fostering a deeper connection between fans and players. Promotional incentives for consumers who purchase the HONOR 400 and 400 Pro series include exclusive experiences and chances to attend key matches in upcoming tournaments. Looking ahead, HONOR is poised for global expansion with its newly announced 'HONOR ALPHA PLAN.' This strategic initiative aims to transform HONOR from a smartphone manufacturer into a leading global AI device ecosystem company. Unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in March 2025, it includes a staggering $10 billion investment and a commitment to provide seven years of Android OS and security updates. The vision for a shared, value-rich ecosystem aims to enhance human potential across the globe. The HONOR 400 is now available from R12,999 while the HONOR 400 Pro is priced at R17,999 both stocked at major retailers Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C.
