Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor seems to be gearing up for April Fools’ with the unveiling of a new smartphone called the Honor BFF, or Best Friend Forever. To be clear, this is not a real device but Honor started April Fools’ a bit early and recently shared a few teaser images showcasing a non-existent smartphone pegged for an April 1st unveiling. According to the company the Honor BFF, as it were, is “like nothing you have experienced” because this is a phone that “can be your best friend for life.”
Honor’s spoof promotional material for the Honor BFF details a handful of features revolving around the concept of AI (artificial intelligence) and contextual awareness. The smartphone combines intelligent sensors and machine learning in order to “recognize and remind you of your individual value to the world”. And while it doesn’t have an Always-on Display, it takes advantage of a breakthrough operating system called “Always-on Affirmation”. With AOA, the Honor BFF can detect the user’s state of mind and wellbeing, and offers affirmations accordingly, such as “hold me closer to your ear so I can whisper sweet nothings to you.” or “Let’s remember this moment with a selfie.” Of course, a respectable smart device should offer fitness applications, and sure enough, the Honor BFF boasts a variety of features, such as “words of encouragement” designed to motivate users into reaching and exceeding their goals. Last but definitely not least, the Honor BFF is a personal device – as suggested by the moniker – and it can be customized with a personalized voice. Additionally, users can record and add your own terms including “bro”, “sweetie”, or “you do you, Boo” into the smartphone’s vocabulary.
In closing, the Honor BFF seems to have been designed to give AI-powered personal assistants a run for their money. But of course, we should keep in mind that this is a spoof device designed as an early April Fools’ joke. Point in case, the spoof landing page for the Honor BFF states that more details will be unveiled on April 1st, which could indicate that Honor may have a few more April Fools’ jokes up its sleeve. On a more serious note, Honor is working on a handful of actual devices, including the Honor Note 9 which was recently spotted in a first real-life image, as well as the Honor 8 Pro which should be officially announced on April 5.
