Honor has announced that the Magic 8 Pro flagship is now able to access the first Android 17 Beta, making it the first device in the Honor lineup to get hands-on with the new software generation.
The Magic 8 Pro launched globally with MagicOS 10.0 based on Android 16, and it now takes the lead as the first Honor device to venture into Android 17 territory. At this stage, the beta is aimed at developers and tech enthusiasts — it isn’t open to general users.
The purpose of the beta access is straightforward: give developers the tools to explore the new OS, test how their apps behave on Android 17, improve application performance, and evaluate how well the latest Android 17 features integrate with the hardware. Once they’ve put the software through its paces, developers can share their findings on Honor’s global X page, covering anything from bugs and stability issues to performance observations and feature feedback — all of which feeds into refining the eventual public release.
Honor’s official message to developers was clear: “Get ready! Android 17 Beta is now available for all developers on #HONORMagic8Pro! We are excited to hear your thoughts on the new features. Share your experience.”
As for what Android 17 actually brings, the developer beta includes a range of additions across productivity, customization, AI, camera, and privacy. Multitasking gets a boost through floating bubbles that can now be minimized and reopened independently for individual apps. On the camera side, the new RAW14 image format is set to enhance the AiMAGE experience with improvements to image processing, dynamic range, and color accuracy. Other additions include a customizable UI for a tidier home screen, a redesigned Photo picker with multiple layout options, and updates to the Quick Settings panel, among other changes.
Honor isn’t spending any time getting its new Magic 8 Pro ready for its domestic China launch this month, even if it’s hard to believe that new flagship phone season has already begun again. My firsthand impressions are based on the pre-production unit that Honor supplied me prior to the launch.
Honor’s Magic OS 10 software, which is based on Android 16, is installed on this China model. It has Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 hardware, a state-of-the-art camera system, a beautiful, elegant design that is lighter than before, and the largest battery I’ve ever seen in a flagship phone – despite the weight decrease.
Specs and availability
Before making its way to other regions, such as Europe, later this year in Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, and Black hues, the Honor Magic 8 Pro will make its debut in China in October 2025.
At launch, the phone comes with a 7,200mAh battery and a single SKU with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. Because of European battery size constraints, the European model will come with a 6,270mAh battery.
Honor comes with a clear TPU case, a USB cable, a 100W charger, and a film screen protector already fitted on the phone. Very good deal when compared to other flagships!
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, 3D depth front camera for face recognition
Battery
7100mAh (China) or 6270mAh (Europe) Silicon-carbon battery
Charging
100W wired, 80W wireless
Durability
IP68, IP69, IP69k
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
RAM
12GB
Storage
512GB
Dimensions
161.15mm x 75mm x 8.4mm
Weight
213g
Colors
Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, Black
New designa and a huge battery
I could sense the difference from the previous year as soon as I took the Honor Magic 8 Pro out of the package. In addition to being smoother than before (in a non-slippery fashion, strange as that sounds), the phone’s soft, brushed metal sides also organically curve into the front and rear of the chassis, offering remarkable weight alleviation over the previous model.
Honor appears to have found a good mix between the flat side trend and a more pleasant set of curves, which is something I dislike about most phones with flat edges. Only the extreme margins of the corners are pushed into a curve, making the display flatter than before.
The new design’s touted feature is a new AI button, which is situated around two-thirds of the way down the phone’s right side. Although it may also be used as a camera control button with swipe-to-zoom capabilities, this long button, which is flush with the frame, is primarily used as an AI button right out of the box.
In China, YOYO video AI can be accessed by long-pressing the button; this capability at least somewhat resembles Gemini Live. Honor hasn’t officially disclosed their plans, but it’s probable that international versions will include this feature with Gemini rather than YOYO.
Additionally, you can personalize a single or double press of this button to take a screenshot for AI memories, start the camera, or open the AI memories center.
I really enjoyed this final feature since it made it simple for me to keep track of facts throughout the day. For instance, I came across a local post about a Harry Potter event that was taking place at the end of the month while perusing Instagram. The screenshot of this incident was saved in my AI memories when I tapped the AI button, and I can locate it by searching for “Harry Potter” in the AI memories app.
These days, my preferred method of finding information is this kind of context-sensitive information searching, which is comparable to the Pixel Screenshots app. You can even request that YOYO “find all my screenshots and eliminate the fuzzy ones” for the Chinese models. If you choose not to utilize it, the implementation is totally ignorable and doesn’t feel intrusive at all.
You will care about the improved battery even if you don’t give a damn about the new AI button. With Honor’s latest silicon-carbon battery technology, which has an incredible 7,100mAh capacity, the Magic 8 Pro has the largest battery I’ve ever seen in a typical flagship phone. Despite this, the phone weighs less than the one from the previous year.
The Honor Magic V5 also featured a comparable capacity increase and this battery technology. This isn’t “empty capacity” or anything because, at the beginning of the third day of my testing, I had barely less than 20% remaining after going two full days without charging. It’s authentic.
About the camera
Every shot I took with the Honor Magic 8 Pro impressed me on a pleasant fall day. As I’ve come to anticipate from Honor phones, this one performs especially well in motion capture, portrait mode, and with the telephoto camera. It’s not surprising to see that upgraded here with even better sensors because even Honor’s more reasonably priced phones capture beautiful portrait mode photos.
Images captured using the viewfinder’s 2x, 3.7x, or 10x presets are outstanding. The camera performed well in every situation I tested it in, and I doubt I could ask for more from any camera with a zoom of less than 10x.
Honor also emphasizes the phone’s capacity to capture images in difficult lighting conditions, an area where other phones frequently falter. One such moment is The Blue Hour, which occurs immediately before the sun sets.
In addition to the fact that color is typically difficult to capture at this time, longer exposure times are frequently required to obtain sharp images. Comparing the Magic 8 Pro to the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the former passed this test with flying colors.
Furthermore, all of the exciting new toys are buried in the AI processing, even though the telephoto camera has some amazing new stability and low-light characteristics as well as improved dynamic range.
Viewing your images in context is no longer the only use for motion photos. With only two taps, you can add motion trails, turn any motion snapshot into a slow-motion video, or make an amazing stop-motion animation with the Magic 8 Pro’s new AI editing features.
Additionally, Honor is introducing some cool new AI-based recoloring modes, including as Warm Sunset, Golden Autumn, and Romantic Blue, to give your old photographs a fresh look.
Honor Magic 8 Pro – raw power, AI and photography
As the international debut draws nearer, we’ll be discussing the many interesting and fresh announcements regarding this phone. As of right now, Honor’s most recent products are receiving great reviews, and the business is consistently improving both the hardware and software designs, such as the new MagicOS 10 that runs on Android 16.
The Honor Magic 8 Pro has gained a lot of attention lately because of its live photos, one of which showed that it has a 7200mAh battery. Following numerous speculations about 7000 or 8000+ cells for the next flagship, the information has been verified.
A 7200mAh battery pack was visible in a live shot of the Honor Magic 8 Pro posted by Weibo tipster @JinanDigital. Other features of the high-end phone are also highlighted in the picture.
Honor has ambitious plans for battery capacity this year. With its 6100mAh battery, the Honor Magic V5 took center stage in the market. The next phone in line is the X70, which has the biggest battery for a mid-range phone (8300mAh).
Honor Magic 8 Pro giant 7200mAh battery
However, the company is getting ready to release a 10,000mAh battery item in 2026. In the midst of these amazing capabilities, Magic 8 Pro is also making an appearance.
The third-generation Qinghai Lake Battery, which has a 5850mAh capacity, is a lithium-ion polymer cell that is included in the Honor Magic 7 Pro for comparison. It is compatible with both 80W wireless charging and a 100W Honor Super Fast charger.
The Magic 7 Pro can increase its charging speed from 0% to 100% in 30 to 35 minutes. That’s incredibly fast. For the next iteration, the business has now employed a larger battery. As a result, the charging speed will probably continue to rise.
Larger batteries, however, primarily help users by extending their usage duration and providing convenience during lengthy trips or crises. Additionally, it lessens the likelihood that your gadget will need to be charged regularly while you watch a movie or perform strenuous chores.
The Honor C1+ and E2 chips, 16GB of RAM, and the option for up to 1TB of storage are further upgrades that can be seen in the live image. By mid-October, the flagship phone might make its official debut.
The Magic 8 Pro, Honor’s next flagship device, has leaked, and it appears that the company is stepping up its camera and battery life.
The information was provided by popular tipster Digital Chat Station, who listed several important hardware characteristics, such as a new chipset, enhanced sensors, and a huge battery.
The Magic 8 Pro may have a larger battery than anticipated.
The source claims that the Magic 8 Pro would have a 6.71-inch flat screen, which is somewhat smaller than the 6.8-inch curved LTPO OLED panel found in the Magic 7 Pro. Resolution and brightness are still unknown, but if Honor continues the pattern from the previous year, we may anticipate a high refresh rate and PWM dimming to lessen eye strain.
According to rumors, Qualcomm’s forthcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 will power the phone. According to reports, the new chip can achieve up to 11,000 points in multi-core runs and more than 4,000 points in single-core testing.
The Magic 8 Pro’s camera may continue to use the 200MP telephoto lens from its predecessor. However, the tipster claims that the telephoto and main cameras have been “substantially enhanced,” suggesting that a new sensor or image processing stack may be in use.
Additionally, the source indicates that the phone will have a 7,000mAh battery. A 5,850mAh cell was a feature of its predecessor. Details regarding wireless charging were not provided, however fast charging might remain in the same ballpark with 80W or 100W wired support.
Finally, it has been stated that the Magic 8 Pro will still have 3D face recognition in addition to the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
Satellite connectivity, materials, and display certifications have not yet been mentioned. However, if Honor sticks to the same design direction, the gadget might have a premium glass construction and a comparable IP68/IP69 rating.
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