HUAWEI HONOR 7i announced with 180-degree rotating camera

HUAWEI has just unveiled its latest HONOR smartphone, the 7i. The handset looks like another decent mid-ranger from HUAWEI, but with one quite unique feature – a rotating rear camera than pops up for higher quality selfies. I’m going to nickname it the periscope.

Typically, smartphones include a lower resolution front facing camera for video calls and pictures, but these have never really been that great. Some newer phones have begun including higher resolution front facing sensors, but the HONOR 7i’s 13 megapixel, f/2.0, Sony Exmor based rear camera simply flips up to take selfies, saving on component costs while also eliminating the quality difference between your scene and selfie shots.

HUAWEI also states that the hinge is sturdy enough to withstand heavy use. The mechanism will last at least two years of use, even if you flip it up and down 132 times a day! HUAWEI isn’t the first to experiment with a dual purpose front and rear camera. We also quite liked the rotating camera that was included with the OPPO N1.

The rest of the specifications are what you would expect from a smartphone looking to bridge the gap between the mid and high-end tiers. The HONOR 7i features a 5.2-inch display with a 1080p resolution. The handset is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor, 2GB or 3GB of RAM depending on if you pick the 16GB or 32GB internal storage option, and a 3,100mAh battery. To sweeten the deal, HUAWEI has thrown in a fingerprint scanner, which is oddly attached to the side of the smartphone rather than on the back or front.

The HONOR 7i will cost around $250 for the 16GB model and $300 for the 32GB variant in China, but the international handsets could cost somewhere between $300 or $400.

What do you think about the unique “periscope” camera?