For the Brave: Honor, AI & the Digital Cusp of Creation

It’s an interesting vantage point being an early-90s millennial at the cusp of the digital handover. Old enough to remember the home landline, the thrill of the first mobile phone, and the excitement when colour screens, music, cameras, and games started fusing into one device. Then came the smartphone: seamless connectivity and convenience through a simple touch.

Thirty-plus years of relentless innovation, leaps, and competition only for the next frontier to come knocking. Enter AI. Just when you think you’ve settled into a helm of comfort, here comes another wave.

Enter HONOR: The Bold Newcomer

To frame this evolution of thought, we recently connected with friends at HONOR—one of the most exciting emerging tech players in the market. Their brand journey has been nothing short of audacious, grabbing attention through sport partnerships and creative campaigns.

But HONOR’s impact isn’t limited to devices—it’s also about community. The brand is in constant conversation with the social sphere, engaging with culture, creativity, and the people driving it. This month, HONOR turns its spotlight on women trailblazers, celebrating the visionaries, innovators, and creators who are rewriting the rules in their fields. It’s a reminder that technology is not only about performance, but about amplifying the stories and voices that shape our world.

We experienced their latest release, not through the spectacle of sponsor press junkets, airport welcomes, or stadium-scale reveals (though those were impressive), but by simply exploring the device itself outside the noise of the spotlight.

In a market saturated with countless smartphones, the HONOR 400 Pro positions itself as the bolder & braver. The question is: what makes it stand out? And more importantly what makes its tech next?

AI Has Officially Entered the Chat

With AI now embedded in our daily tools, the way we interact with technology has shifted permanently. Some see it as a doomsday trigger, others hail it as humanity’s solution, and many of us find ourselves in the sweet spot: cautious, but appreciating the productivity and convenience it offers.

Perhaps this is where HONOR finds its balance and its value.

As we step into this AI-driven renaissance, the brave are those creating honestly, experimenting, and finding necessity in innovation. HONOR doesn’t just showcase possibilities; it puts them in your hand. And who knows? One tap might prompt you to create something we all need.

Mzansi in Focus: Redefining Everyday Creativity with AI

South Africa has never looked sharper. From the Jozi skyline to the quiet stillness of a Drakensberg hike, or the colour hue of a Camps Bay sunset, the new HONOR 400 Series lands with one bold promise: turning your smartphone into a full-scale creative studio powered by AI.

This isn’t just about snapping pictures anymore, it’s about seeing, shaping, and sharing the world in ways that once demanded DSLR kits and hours of editing software.

1. The End of Photobombers: AI Erase Passers-by We’ve all been there: the perfect shot in iKasi ruined by someone strolling past. With HONOR’s AI Erase Passers-by, the background cleans itself—one tap, no circling. Market hustle, Waterfront buzz, gone. Just your moment, crowd-free and secure, all processed natively on-device.

2. Portraits That Rival a Studio The HONOR 400 Pro introduces a portrait engine that feels like Photoshop and a DSLR fused in your pocket. Smart bokeh, facial geometry mapping, and presets like Neo Glam and Cinematic Glow mean instant, studio-quality portraits—no subscriptions, no third-party apps.

3. SuperZooming South Africa From elephants in Pilanesberg to the Jozi skyline at dusk, HONOR’s AI SuperZoom (up to 50× on the Pro model) redefines what zoom means on a phone. AI Upscale restores old photos, while AI Image-to-Video transforms stills into cinematic clips—perfect for storytellers on the go.

4. Power, Privacy, and Performance in One Running the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 with up to 24GB expanded RAM, the 400 Pro boasts a 6000mAh silicon-carbon battery, 100W SuperCharge, and a jaw-dropping 5000-nit AMOLED screen. Whether it’s Cape Town’s midday sun or Joburg’s late-night grind, the phone is built for Mzansi hustle.

   
   

But change has always favoured the brave. From landlines to smartphones, every leap forward has rewarded those willing to step first into the unknown. HONOR’s 400 Series carries that same spirit forward—proving that “For the Brave” isn’t just a slogan, but a call to creators, dreamers, and everyday hustlers to claim the future on their own terms.

At under R18 000, HONOR has disrupted the market. This isn’t just another smartphone it’s a portable creative companion. From city streets to mountain trails, from influencers to everyday storytellers, the HONOR 400 Series sharpens Mzansi’s stories and sets the stage for a new era of AI creativity.