Data from market research firm Omdia shows that the HONOR Middle East business grew 35% year on year during the first half of 2026, advancing to the second-largest smartphone vendor spot in the region.
This performance occurred against an overall 13% decline across regional shipments during the same period. In the first quarter of 2026, shipments for the brand climbed 73%, supported by a 130% annual jump in the $300 to $500 price segment to secure a 24% category share. Specific models, including the HONOR X9d and the HONOR 600 Series, drove retail sales across mobile devices in Gulf markets.
Retail Operations and Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the company expanded its retail footprint to 25 experience stores, with 11 located inside major shopping malls. These locations operate alongside 16 dedicated service centres and a new contact centre designed for regional after-sales support.
The brand reached the top market share ranking for tablets in the Kingdom, while its connected hardware operations grew by more than 500%. Local sales of the HONOR Earbuds Clip passed 100,000 units. Furthermore, the company signaled plans to expand its commercial business-to-business operations within the Kingdom.
UAE Flagship Retail Presence
In the United Arab Emirates, retail locations serve as demonstration centers for connected hardware, including laptops, tablets, and wearables. Following initial openings at Dubai Festival City Mall, Abu Dhabi, and Al Reem Mall, a retail store opened at BurJuman in Dubai during January 2026.
These stores aim to increase multi-device ownership among consumers with high disposable income in stable smartphone volume markets.
Manufacturing Expansion in Egypt
Manufacturing investments anchor the wider HONOR Middle East footprint outside China. The company is scaling its 8,000-square-metre facility in the 10th of Ramadan industrial city near Cairo to reach an annual capacity of 3 million smartphones.
The Egyptian plant houses five assembly lines and two surface-mount technology lines. This site functions as an export base across Arab and African markets to reduce transportation overhead and bypass regional trade barriers.
HONOR Middle East Technology Strategy at LEAP 2026
At the LEAP 2026 conference in Riyadh, the manufacturer presented its ALPHA PLAN, detailing development plans for AI hardware and robotics. The showcase included the regional debut of the Robot Phone, which integrates an on-device AI system with a mechanical gimbal and camera hardware engineered with ARRI.
Hardware engineering continues to target thermal efficiency, battery density, and structural durability to match harsh operating conditions across the Middle East.
