The Honor RSR smartphones mark the end of the partnership between Huawei and Porsche Design

Remember the sleek Huawei smartphones that came out with the Porsche Design logo on the back? Well, those phones are no longer being released. Although many of us didn’t notice, the partnership between Huawei and Porsche Design ended last year. Yes, the Huawei Mate 60 RS Ultimate is the latest product from this partnership.

Right after the launch of this phone, Honor and Porsche Design joined hands and started working together. This led many of us to wonder if Porsche Design would work with both Honor and Huawei. As confirmed by Porsche Design (source), its partnership with Huawei ended when the company started working with Honor.

A little about the history of the partnership between Huawei and Porsche Design and the road ahead for Honor RSR phones

Huawei and Porsche Design began working together in 2016. With this partnership, the Chinese phone maker released a ton of sleek-looking flagships. Want to know what sets these phones apart? They will come with Huawei’s best-in-class hardware coupled with a stunning and unique design (check the attached photos).

Some of the phones from the Huawei and Porsche Design partnership even received upgrades that weren’t available in the regular variants. But after the Mate 60 RS Ultimate, we haven’t seen Huawei or Porsche Design say anything about upcoming phones that will be part of the partnership.

Well, Honor started working with Porsche Design late last year. And the first product from this new partnership is the Magic V2 RSR. Like Huawei’s RS phones, the Magic V2 RSR comes with a sleek design. In fact, it’s the best-looking flip phone on the market. But one thing to note here is that the first Honor RSR just has a different design. The internals and other features are still the same.

Talking about the design, we see the same type of aesthetic as Huawei’s Porsche Design phones for the Honor RSR phone. This means it comes with sports car inspired looks. This makes the RSR Magic V2 attractive. And it might even sway some from choosing a Galaxy Fold phone. But that’s not the only phone the new partnership will bring.

Today, at the MWC 2024 event, Honor confirmed the second smartphone that will be a product of this partnership. This is the Honor Magic6 Pro RSR Porsche Design, which the company will soon share details about. We hope to see other outstanding aspects in this upcoming smartphone apart from the design.

Beyond aesthetics: Does smartphone design really matter?

This shift in partnerships raises a crucial question: Does smartphone design really matter?

While the undeniable appeal of a sleek and luxurious phone is there, some might argue that substance trumps style. Performance, camera quality, battery life and user experience often weigh more heavily in purchasing decisions.

The Honor RSR series presents an interesting case study. Will the Porsche Design brand and unique aesthetic be enough to attract buyers, even if the core features remain largely unchanged? Or will the focus shift to more substantial differences in future models?

It’s an ongoing conversation, and the answer likely depends on individual preferences and priorities. What do you think? Does design play a major role in choosing your smartphone or do other factors have a bigger influence? Let’s discuss it in the comments below!