Honor launched the 400 Lite 5G in just a few markets already, and it is arriving within the U.Okay. and Europe subsequent week. When it does, consumers will quickly notice that the Honor 400 Lite 5G is an try at making a carbon copy of the iPhone 16 Professional at a fraction of the value, right down to the devoted digital camera button and unmistakable rear digital camera housing.
Whereas sure Android telephones attempt to copy the iPhone on a regular basis, that is arguably probably the most egregious instance we have ever seen.
The concept corporations of “copying” or “stealing” designs or options is not at all times an issue. If manufacturers discover what’s working for his or her rivals, borrowing what works and ditching what does not, the complete market grows.
As an example, a number of Android manufacturers upped their software program help assure after Google’s seven-year promise debuted. Samsung and OnePlus borrowed Apple’s titanium body thought for a few of their handsets. Ultimately, it is a good factor. Now, individuals have telephones that may run newer Android variations longer and are made out of sturdy and light-weight supplies.
It isn’t like Apple does not steal options from Android telephones, both — Reside Voicemail in iOS is a direct ripoff of Pixel’s Name Display screen, and Offline Maps simply got here to iOS not too long ago regardless of being accessible on Android since 2012.
With that being mentioned, it is laborious not to have a look at the design of the Honor Magic 400 Lite 5G and cringe. There’s one thing about this explicit iPhone lookalike that feels shameless, and it has me questioning why Android manufacturers do not attempt to discover their very own identification.
There are some things concerning the Honor 400 Lite 5G that really feel notably corny, however the greatest one is the rear digital camera housing. It has an almost-identical form to the one you may discover on the iPhone 16 Professional and Professional Max, minus Honor’s triangular accents. Other than the truth that the cameras are clearly positioned to imitate the iPhone digital camera structure, the actual drawback right here is the 400 Lite 5G’s flash.
That is proper — in the event you look intently, the Honor 400 Lite 5G is utilizing a dual-camera system. It seems to be meant to appear like a triple-camera structure from afar, similar to the iPhone 16 Professional. However in actuality the third “lens” is simply the flash. It is laborious to think about a purpose to design the flash on this manner except the purpose was to make the 400 Lite 5G look extra premium than it truly is.
Then, there’s the digital camera button, which is an apparent Digital camera Management ripoff. By itself, Honor borrowing the Digital camera Management button is not a horrible transfer. Just like the Motion button, the Digital camera Management button is one iPhone characteristic I feel extra Android telephones ought to copy.
It is the manner Honor carried out the devoted digital camera button that makes the 400 Lite 5G really feel like an inexpensive knockoff. The button seems to be positioned in the very same place because the iPhone 16 Professional equal, and is equally recessed. That is all true even supposing iPhone 16 Professional customers — together with myself — appear to agree that the Digital camera Management button is poorly positioned. Honor might’ve improved on this button, and as an alternative it merely copied it.
It does not assist that Honor is asking the AI Digital camera Button “progressive” and “distinctive” in its press launch, which sounds borderline insulting to potential consumers who know they’ve seen this precise factor earlier than on the iPhone. Even the incorporation of AI and Google Lens matches up with Visible Intelligence on an iPhone 16 Professional.
Android Central reached out to each Honor and Apple for remark however didn’t instantly hear again. We’ll replace this text with extra info.
Honor’s 400 Lite 5G takes a step backward
Put merely, this can be a regression for the Honor 400 Lite 5G. The general design, digital camera association, Dynamic Island-like digital camera cutout, and AI Digital camera Button all really feel shamelessly impressed by the iPhone 16 Professional.
The brand new design of the Honor 400 Lite 5G is worse when you think about what we misplaced — a singular design of Honor price range and midrange telephones. In comparison with each the Honor 300 sequence and the Honor 200 Lite that this telephone replaces, I a lot choose the older fashions.
As a substitute, now we have yet one more iPhone lookalike. Whereas I commend Honor for being the primary Android producer to include a Digital camera Management-esque button on their smartphone, it ought to’ve accomplished so with out sacrificing its uniqueness.
