Honor X9b debuts in India, Choice Watch and Choice Earbuds X5 tag along

Honor made a comeback to India last September as HTech (Honor's representative in the country) with the Honor 90's launch after a three-year hiatus, and today, the brand launched the second smartphone in India since its re-entry, dubbed Honor X9b.

The Honor X9b is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC and comes in a single 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration in India. It runs Android 13-based MagicOS 7.2 out of the box and is slated to be upgraded to Android 14-based MagicOS 8 in H2 2024. Honor has also promised two years of Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates for the X9b.

The Honor X9b is built around a 6.78" 120Hz 1.5K curved AMOLED screen with 1,200 nits peak brightness. Honor calls it an "Ultra-Bounce Anti-Drop Display" since it incorporates a shock-absorbing material that forms a protective structure, offering drop resistance of up to 1.5m.

The display also has a centered punch-hole for the 16MP camera and a fingerprint scanner underneath for biometric authentication. Around the back, we get a circular island housing three cameras - 108MP primary, 5MP ultrawide (110° FOV), and 2MP macro. The rear panel of the Sunset Orange version uses eco-friendly vegan leather to promote sustainability.

The Honor X9b also has an IP53 rating, and fueling the entire package is a 5,800 mAh battery with 35W charging support. The power adapter worth INR699 ($9/€8) won't be included in the retail box, but we are told that "as an introductory offer, the company will be shipping the charger out of the box at no additional cost. Post this, users can purchase it separately."

The Honor X9b will come in Sunrise Orange and Midnight Black colors in India. It's priced at INR25,999 ($315/€290) and will go on sale in India starting February 16 through Honor's official Indian website, Amazon.in, and mainline stores.

Honor Choice Watch

HTech also launched the Honor Choice Watch in India today. It sports a 1.95" 2.5D curved always-on AMOLED screen with a 502x410-pixel resolution and 550 nits peak brightness. The watch case has a metallic textured body and comes in two versions - silicone and braided.

The silicone version is designed for 20mm lug widths and is compatible with aftermarket straps of the same width, while the braided variant has customized strap heads and a quick-release design.

The Honor Choice Watch has the usual slew of health and fitness features, including heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and blood-oxygen level monitoring. It also supports 120 workout modes, with self-recognition for walking, running, cycling, elliptical, and rowing.

The rest of the Honor Choice Watch's highlights include 5ATM water resistance, Bluetooth calling, customizable watch faces, and support for five satellite positioning systems, which doesn't include India's NavIC. HTech says that's because NavIC doesn't have enough coverage at the moment to make its inclusion viable.

The Honor Choice Watch has Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and a 300 mAh battery, advertised to offer 12 days of endurance in a typical usage scenario and nine days of autonomy with intense usage.

The Honor Choice Watch is compatible with Android and iOS devices and will be offered in two colors.

The price is set at INR6,499 ($78/€72) but early adopters can get it for INR500 ($6/€5) less. Sale starts on February 24, and the wearable will be sold at Honor's Indian website, Amazon.in, and mainland stores.

Honor Choice Earbuds X5

The Honor Choice Earbuds X5 TWS earphones were also launched today in India, packing 10mm drivers in each bud. The Earbuds X5 have an in-ear design with active noise canceling (ANC), which is claimed to reduce noise by up to 30 dB. They also come with dual-mic for environmental noise cancellation (ENC) during calls.

The rest of the Honor Choice Earbuds X5's highlights include Bluetooth 5.3, touch control, IP54 rating, and 120ms latency. The TWS supports SBC and AAC codecs and packs a 45 mAh battery in each bud, with the charging case packing a 460 mAh cell.

HTech says you can get up to 9 hours of continuous playback or 18 hours of calling on a single charge. When paired with the charging case, you can get up to 35 hours of battery life. The charging case features a USB-C port and takes up to two hours for a full charge.

The Honor Choice Earbuds X5 come in white. Тhe buds are priced at INR1,999 ($24/€22) and will be available from February 16. They can be found at Honor's online store, Amazon.in, and select mainland stores.