When it comes to smartphone features, we often get lost in the excitement of flashy new designs while overlooking the practical features that actually make our daily lives easier. Apple’s Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, for example, may look visually impressive, but it doesn’t significantly change how we interact with our phones. It’s a classic case of style over substance.
This realization hit me when I switched to Honor’s Magic 7 Pro, where the focus was on improving usability rather than adding unnecessary effects.
Honor, originally a sub-brand of Huawei, was created in 2013 as an online-first brand targeting young buyers and offering great value. However, when Huawei was hit with US sanctions in 2019, Honor lost access to Google Mobile Services (GMS). Without Google apps and the Play Store, Honor phones became less appealing.
In 2020, Huawei sold Honor to a group backed by the Shenzhen government, which allowed Honor to operate independently and regain access to GMS. Since then, Honor has become a premium phone brand with software that still feels somewhat like Huawei’s, but with unique features that stand out.
One of these features is the Super Folder, which really caught my attention. Instead of having a single small icon that you tap to open a folder, Honor lets you expand the folder itself. This means you can fit many icons inside and easily tap them without opening the folder. I now keep all my Google apps in one folder, which makes accessing them far quicker and more efficient than before. It’s a simple but effective way to skip extra steps.
On top of that, Honor offers a quick drag-and-drop tool for photos, letting you share images instantly on Instagram or other apps without having to go through multiple steps. These small but thoughtful features are common in Chinese brands, which often prioritize practical usability over visual design.
While Honor’s software isn’t perfect, it has many great ideas that just don’t seem to make their way to bigger brands like Samsung and Apple. Unfortunately, the lack of real competition means that these companies have little pressure to innovate, leading to a stagnant software experience year after year. It’s no wonder that some users are starting to feel bored with the same old thing.