ARRI and HONOR unveil Magic9 Pro Max with ARRI imaging pipeline and dual 200MP cameras

ARRI and HONOR have announced a co-branded flagship phone called the HONOR Magic9 Pro Max that layers ARRI imaging technology onto HONOR’s mobile platform. The companies presented the device in a press release and positioned it as the top model in HONOR’s Magic Series.

Honor says the handset will carry visible ARRI branding on the device and its package, reflecting a tighter collaboration than a simple logo licence. The announcement highlights a set of image tools and profiles intended to move mobile video closer to cinematic workflows, with ARRI-branded colour science and looks baked into the phone’s imaging stack.

On the imaging hardware side the Magic9 Pro Max pairs dual 200MP cameras with HONOR’s own HONOR Imaging Chip H1. HONOR and ARRI say the combination is meant to deliver higher-resolution capture alongside the processing and encoding needed for professional video features.

For video, the phone supports APV 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and includes ARRI’s LogC3 profile, ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks. The companies describe these elements as part of a cinematic imaging mobile workflow intended to give phone-based creators a film-oriented colour pipeline.

One of the quoted lines in the announcement frames the partnership in educational terms: "The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max gives us an opportunity to introduce up-and-coming cinematographers to the ARRI brand at an early stage in their creative journey." That sentiment underlines the stated aim to make ARRI-style tools available on a handheld device.

The software and profiles are complemented by production-oriented features: HONOR lists cinematic video functions and a directional microphone tuned for cinematic capture. The phone will also be offered with optional creation accessories, including the HONOR Teleconverter G200, HONOR Teleconverter G500 and the HONOR SmallRig Mobile Video Kit.

ARRI’s participation in the project is presented as more than advisory work: the press materials emphasise the inclusion of ARRI Image Science in the phone’s imaging chain. In the release the companies also highlighted "access to ARRI Image Science and a more cinematic image pipeline" as part of the package for users seeking film-style capture from a smartphone.

The launch statement names David Bermbach as Chief Product Officer of ARRI; the announcement ties his role to the co-branded effort and the imaging work that underpins the new handset.

HONOR and ARRI have suggested the Magic9 Pro Max is aimed at creators who want phone-first production tools with professional nods, rather than desktop or camera-native workflows. Alongside the high-resolution sensors and recording options, the optional teleconverters and SmallRig kit aim to expand the phone’s suitability for more controlled capture situations.

The companies have not published a full specification sheet in the initial announcement, and the statement noted that the device will initially launch in China soon. Additional markets, pricing and full technical details were not included in the press materials released with the unveiling.

For cinematographers and mobile-first filmmakers the Magic9 Pro Max represents a noteworthy bid to graft ARRI’s colour pipeline and profile ecosystem onto a mainstream handset, offering a route to ARRI-style looks and recording options without stepping onto traditional cinema camera platforms. How closely the phone’s real-world output will match ARRI camera systems will become clearer when detailed specs, samples and hands-on evaluations appear.

Editors should watch for full technical documentation and practical tests before drawing conclusions about dynamic range, colour fidelity and codec performance in real production scenarios.