Honor re-enters Pakistan with Google-backed Android 15 smartphones, take on Realme, Vivo, and Oppo. Featuring AI tech, fast charging, and premium design, Honor aims to reclaim its market share in 2025.
Imran Malik – Media Bites: July 26, 2025
Honor is officially re-entering the Pakistani market in July 2025 with a full range of smartphones and smart wearables, now running MagicOS 9.0 (based on Android 15) and offering complete Google Mobile Services (GMS) support—including the Play Store, Gmail, Maps, and YouTube.
Why Was Honor Absent from Pakistan?
Honor was originally a Huawei sub‑brand (established in 2013), but due to U.S. sanctions imposed on Huawei (which also affected Honor), it lost access to Google services and international markets. In November 2020, Huawei sold Honor to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology Co., a conglomerate tied to the Shenzhen municipal government, rendering the brand independent—yet it took time to reorganize and regain full Android/GMS compatibility before returning to markets like Pakistan.
Who Makes Honor Phones?
Honor was originally founded by Huawei in 2013. Since November 2020, it has operated independently under Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology Co., Ltd., a consortium of Chinese firms. Although now fully separate from Huawei, Honor has inherited design DNA and some legacy engineering, while charting its path with new R&D strategy and branding.
Pros and Cons of Honor Phones
Advantages:
- Excellent value-for-money with premium features—camera quality, battery life, fast charging, and performance.
- AI-enhanced capabilities (especially in the Magic‑series).
- MagicOS experience, smooth UI, seamless Android 15 integration with features like Smart Folder 2.0, Magic Capsule multitasking, and strong privacy features.
- Industry-leading upgrade promise: at MWC 2025 Honor committed to providing 7 years of Android OS and security updates for its Magic‑series devices.
Drawbacks:
- Users frequently report poor after-sales support and slow updates outside China or Asia, particularly in global or ME/African regions.
- Software limitations, inconsistent camera processing, bugs in MagicOS, and weaker video quality versus top competitors.
- Connectivity and hardware issues: delayed notifications, unstable Wi‑Fi/cellular reception, hardware quirks like low volume, and missing accessories reported by some users.
Key Features of Newly Launched Honor Devices (Pakistan)
- Run MagicOS 9.0 with Android 15 and full Google Mobile Services support.
- Smart features include Magic Capsule multitasking, Smart Folder 2.0, and integration with Honor’s growing ecosystem of laptops, tablets, and wearables.
- Emphasis on AI-enhanced photography and performance, following the HONOR ALPHA PLAN unveiled at MWC 2025, including AiMAGE portrait clarity, eye‑tracking on Magic 6 Pro, and longer software support.
Market Share: Pakistan and Worldwide
- Pakistan: Honor has not publicly released exact market-share numbers yet, but the brand aims to reach Top‑5 status in Pakistan within 3 years, and Top‑3 globally within 5 years.
- Worldwide / China:
- In China, Honor reached about 1.55% monthly market share in Q4 2024 (StatCounter), though Counterpoint Research suggests 15–20% annual brand share in 2022–2023 context—Honor was ranked as China’s fastest-growing OEM in 2021 and regained position among top sellers (bankmycell.com).
- Globally, Honor competes in Middle East and Europe, where in the UAE it claimed top‑4 ranking in Q1 2024 with 105% year-on-year growth, targeting 10% market share by end‑2024 in that region.
- In China in mid‑2024, Honor held about 17.1–17.5% market share, nearly matching Apple in that market.
Summary Table
| Topic | Key Insights |
|---|---|
| Return to Pakistan | Relaunched July 2025 with MagicOS 9.0 + full GMS |
| Absence Reason | U.S. sanctions on Huawei; loss of Google access until independence recovery |
| Manufacturer | Independent brand under Shenzhen Zhixin, originally spun off from Huawei |
| Pros | Great value, strong AI features, long Android/security support |
| Cons | Software bugs, slow updates, mixed after-sales experience |
| Key New Features | MagicOS 9.0, AI imaging, full Google ecosystem, integration with Honor devices |
| Market Share in Pakistan | Aiming Top‑5 within 3 years (no current official % yet) |
| China Market Share | Around 1.55% (StatCounter), up to 17‑20% brand-share (Counterpoint) |
| Global/MEA Performance | Strong growth in UAE, top‑4 rank and projected to hit 10% share |
Here’s a detailed comparison between Honor, Realme, Vivo, and Oppo—focusing on brand identity, performance, software, camera, pricing, and market presence, especially in Pakistan and global markets in 2025.
Brand Overview
| Brand | Origin | Parent Company | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honor | China | Shenzhen Zhixin (formerly Huawei) | Premium mid-range to flagship |
| Realme | China | BBK Electronics | Budget to upper-mid-range |
| Vivo | China | BBK Electronics | Camera-focused, stylish mid-range |
| Oppo | China | BBK Electronics | Premium design, innovation-driven |
Comparison by Category
1. Performance & Software
| Brand | OS & UI | Performance Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Honor | MagicOS (based on Android 15) | Smooth, AI-optimized UI, latest Android, full GMS support |
| Realme | Realme UI 6 (Android 14/15) | Great RAM management, decent gaming |
| Vivo | Funtouch OS (Android 14) | Sometimes bloated, improving fluidity |
| Oppo | ColorOS 14 (Android 14/15) | Highly refined, close to stock Android |
✅ Winner: Oppo (most polished), followed by Honor (fast and AI-integrated with Android 15)
2. Camera & Imaging
| Brand | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Honor | AI Motion Sensing, Magic Image, Night Mode | Video quality still catching up |
| Realme | 108MP sensors in mid-range, decent AI | Inconsistent color processing |
| Vivo | ZEISS lenses, excellent portraits & selfies | Weak low-light video in budget phones |
| Oppo | Hasselblad partnership (Find X series) | Underwhelming in sub-$300 range |
Winner: Vivo (for camera), Oppo in the premium segment
3. Battery & Charging
| Brand | Battery Life | Fast Charging |
|---|---|---|
| Honor | 4800–5100 mAh | Up to 100W (flagships) |
| Realme | 5000 mAh avg. | 67W–150W (GT series) |
| Vivo | 4500–5000 mAh | 44W–80W (V series/X series) |
| Oppo | 4800–5000 mAh | 67W–100W (SuperVOOC) |
⚡ Winner: Realme (for ultra-fast charging in budget), Oppo (stability + speed in premium)
4. Pricing & Value in Pakistan (2025)
| Brand | Entry Price (PKR) | Key Selling Points |
|---|---|---|
| Honor | PKR 44,999+ | Premium features, GMS return, long updates |
| Realme | PKR 35,000+ | Best value under PKR 60K, gaming focus |
| Vivo | PKR 39,999+ | Camera-centric phones, brand loyalty |
| Oppo | PKR 42,000+ | Design and display innovation |
💰 Winner: Realme (best budget options), Honor aims premium value with software support.
5. Market Share in Pakistan & Globally
| Brand | 🇵🇰 Pakistan Market | 🌍 Global Market (2024/2025 estimates) |
|---|---|---|
| Honor | Just re-entered | 5–6% global, 17% China |
| Realme | ~10% | 5th globally in shipments (Counterpoint 2024) |
| Vivo | ~12–14% | 4th globally, strong in Asia/Africa |
| Oppo | ~13% | 4th–5th globally, strong in Europe/Middle East |
📈 Winner: Vivo & Oppo dominate globally and in Pakistan; Honor is rebuilding.
Final Verdict
| Category | Best Brand |
|---|---|
| Software Experience | Oppo / Honor |
| Camera Quality | Vivo |
| Budget Performance | Realme |
| Brand Strength (PK) | Vivo / Oppo |
| Innovation & AI | Honor (MagicOS 9.0) |
Bottom Line:
- Honor is back with strength, offering AI features, clean Android, and long update cycles. Great for mid-high range buyers.
- Realme is best for budget-conscious users who want performance.
- Vivo wins for selfie/camera lovers and strong resale value in Pakistan.
- Oppo is a consistent all-rounder, especially if you care about design and polished UI.
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