HONOR has opened its first flagship HONOR Experience Store at Dubai Mall, expanding its physical retail presence in the UAE and formalizing a strategy that places in-store experiences alongside online sales. The opening took place on December 22 and coincided with pre-order pickups for the HONOR Magic8 Pro, giving the launch both a retail and product-driven focus.
The company says pre-orders for the Magic8 Pro performed strongly across the UAE, recording a reported 58 percent increase compared with the previous generation. While HONOR has not disclosed absolute sales figures, the comparison suggests growing traction for its higher-end devices in a market dominated by established smartphone brands.
Located in one of the region’s busiest shopping destinations, the new store is positioned as more than a conventional retail outlet. HONOR is presenting the space as an “AI smart living” hub, with dedicated areas for smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and connected devices. The emphasis is on hands-on interaction, with demonstrations designed to show how products work together rather than as standalone items. This approach mirrors a broader industry trend toward experiential retail as foot traffic declines in traditional electronics stores.
Beyond core devices, the Dubai Mall location is also being used to introduce a selection of novelty AI ecosystem products to the GCC market for the first time. These include items such as a smart guitar, smart piano keyboard, smart air drum, musical travel pillow, and fragrance-themed earbuds under the HONOR Choice branding. While these products are unlikely to drive volume sales, they appear intended to signal HONOR’s ambition to extend its ecosystem beyond phones and wearables into lifestyle-oriented accessories.
The timing of the store opening was closely tied to the Magic8 Pro launch. Customers who pre-ordered the device were able to collect it directly from the new location on opening day, reinforcing the store’s role as a flagship touchpoint rather than a purely promotional venue. HONOR continues to position the Magic8 Pro as its most advanced phone to date, highlighting its imaging capabilities and AI-based software features, though independent evaluations will ultimately determine how it compares with competing flagships.
To encourage early footfall, HONOR is offering a series of limited-time incentives, including extended warranties for Magic8 Pro buyers, scratch-card prize draws, discounts on selected products, and bundled holiday offers combining phones with accessories and wearables. These promotions are typical of flagship store launches and are framed as part of a broader effort to build long-term engagement rather than a one-day sales spike.
The Dubai Mall opening reflects HONOR’s continued investment in the UAE as a key regional market. As competition intensifies in the premium smartphone and connected-device segments, the company appears to be betting that physical presence, combined with ecosystem-focused messaging, can help differentiate its products in an increasingly crowded landscape.
