Honor is adding a twist to its next luxury smartphone. The brand has confirmed that the upcoming Magic8 RSR Porsche Design will support an external “telephoto extender” lens, allowing users to physically boost their camera’s reach.
This announcement sees Honor following a recent trend where manufacturers use detachable parts to improve photography without making the phone itself thicker.
Zooming with glass, not software
According to images shared by the company on Weibo, the new extender adds 2.35x optical magnification to the phone’s native camera.
Most phones rely on “digital zoom” when you try to get closer to a subject, which usually results in a blurry or grainy image. By attaching a physical lens over the camera sensor, the Magic8 RSR aims to capture clear, detailed shots at long distances that software alone can’t match.
Joining the ‘extender’ club
Honor isn’t the only one experimenting with this idea. The move puts the Magic8 RSR in direct competition with the Oppo Find X9 Pro and the Vivo X300 Pro, both of which recently launched with similar add-on lens kits.
It seems to be the industry’s new solution to a common problem: camera sensors need space to zoom, but nobody wants a bulky phone. By making the zoom lens detachable, these brands offer the best of both worlds.
Launch date set
The full reveal is just around the corner. The Honor Magic8 RSR Porsche Design will officially launch in China on January 19, alongside a new “Pro Air” model.
Market Impact & Context
This feature is likely aimed at hardcore photography enthusiasts rather than the average user. While carrying a separate lens might be annoying for some, it allows Honor to market the device as a professional tool. It also shows that smartphone makers are hitting the physical limits of what internal cameras can do, forcing them to think “outside the box” to keep improving image quality.
