Image: HONOR
Honor’s new 600 series arrives in Europe with iPhone-like styling, strong specs, and a 7,000mAh battery, but it is not really a budget phone.
If you squint, you’d swear you’re looking at the latest iPhone.
The Chinese smartphone maker has launched the Honor 600 and Honor 600 Pro in Europe, and whether by coincidence or very deliberate design choices, both phones look strikingly similar to Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup.
The rectangular camera island, the flash layout on the Pro, even the shade of orange, it’s all there. Honor pulled a similar move last year with the Honor 500, which was widely compared to the iPhone Air, though that phone never left Asia. This time, Europe is very much in the picture.
If you set aside the design déjà vu for a moment, you will find that the specs on the Honor 600 are rarely seen at its price point. The device comes with a 6.57-inch AMOLED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a headline-grabbing peak brightness of 8,000 nits, though that maximum is limited to HDR playback on select apps like Netflix and Amazon Video.
Performance is handled by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Pro model steps things up with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.
Battery life is another major focus. The Honor 600 includes a battery as large as 7,000mAh in some regions, designed to last well beyond a full day.
The Honor 600 features a 200MP main camera alongside a 12MP ultra-wide sensor that also doubles as a macro lens. The Pro model adds a telephoto camera for zoom capabilities. AI plays a significant role in the camera system. Features include AI-powered photo editing, motion photo tools, and image-to-video generation.
It is impossible to discuss these phones without mentioning the design. From the triangular arrangement of the camera lenses to the vibrant orange option, the visual DNA is undeniably similar to that of the iPhone 17 Pro. Despite the copycat aesthetic, the build quality remains high-end. The phones feature IP69K ratings, meaning they aren’t just water-resistant; they are designed to survive high-pressure, high-temperature water jets.
The Honor 600 is launching in Europe starting at €649.99 (roughly £549.99 in the UK), with the Pro model jumping to €999.90. While a US release remains unlikely.
Honor appears to be targeting consumers who want premium features without premium pricing. With rising smartphone costs, the company is betting that a mix of strong battery life, high-end displays, and competitive pricing will attract buyers who might otherwise hold onto older devices longer.
Also read: Apple’s rumored iPhone Air 2 could bring a larger battery and other upgrades after complaints that the first model was too compromised.
Aminu Abdullahi is a B2C and B2B technology and finance writer with more than six years of experience covering enterprise IT, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, fintech, business software, and emerging technologies. His work has appeared in publications including TechRepublic, eWEEK, Channel Insider, Geekflare, Enterprise Networking Planet, eSecurity Planet, CIO Insight, and Webopedia. With a technical background in computer science, he specializes in translating complex technology topics into clear, accessible content for business leaders and decision-makers.
