Smartphone makers eye robotics as second growth curve

On a factory floor inside tech firm Xiaomi, its humanoid robot Cyber-One is learning to work. Another humanoid robot built by smartphone maker Honor is preparing to run a half marathon in Beijing.

Two scenes, miles apart, but one question connecting them. Why are Chinese smartphone makers moving quickly to develop humanoid robots?

That contrast is not accidental. It reveals two distinct strategies, and a much bigger shift across the industry.

On the surface, this wave of humanoid robots looks like a natural extension of AI hype. But the deeper logic is financial and structural. The smartphone business, once a reliable growth engine, is maturing.

Margins are tightening. Component costs are rising. The room for breakthrough innovation in handsets is shrinking. Every major player is now searching for a second growth curve.

For Honor, that curve is consumer robotics. Its robots are being positioned for scenarios like companionship, retail assistance, and home interaction. The approach is fast iteration, lower barriers to entry, and early market feedback. A half marathon appearance fits neatly into that playbook. It is visibility, validation, and a signal that the product is moving toward real-world use.

For Xiaomi, the bet is more industrial. Its humanoid robots are being pushed into factories, where the bar is higher but the payoff is clearer. Manufacturing automation offers measurable returns, but only if reliability approaches perfection. That is why Xiaomi is obsessing over details like the dexterity of robotic hands and the success rate of each task.

Two paths. One industry. But they are not alone.

Huawei is building an embodied AI platform, integrating multiple models to support robotics development and already testing robots in financial service environments. Vivo has also set up a dedicated robotics lab, targeting home scenarios.

Smartphone makers already possess many of the core capabilities required. They understand hardware integration at scale.

They operate complex global supply chains. They design chips, optimize power consumption, and deploy AI on devices. In many ways, a humanoid robot is simply the next form factor, one that adds mobility and physical interaction.

There is also a broader ecosystem logic at play.

For years, the industry has talked about connecting the "human, car, and home", with the smartphone acting as the central hub. But that model is starting to evolve. At recent tech exhibitions, I noticed a subtle but important shift. The "human" in that equation is no longer the one doing all the work.

That role is beginning to move to robots.

Instead of a person actively controlling devices, robots can act as intermediaries. They can move through space, interact with appliances, coordinate with vehicles, and execute tasks. The user becomes less of an operator and more of a recipient of services.

For companies like Xiaomi and Huawei, which already span smart homes and electric vehicles, robots complete the picture. They turn a connected system into an active one.

Of course, the road ahead is far from smooth. Costs remain high. Most robots are still in testing. Real-world applications, especially in homes, are still being defined.

But the pace is hard to ignore. The race unfolding across the industry is only just beginning.