Android Authority: HONOR 600 Pro AI Button Can Be Reprogrammed as a Shortcut Key
A first-person Android Authority account says the HONOR 600 Pro's dedicated AI button can be configured for non-AI shortcuts, while Motorola's Edge 70 limits its AI key to AI features or disabling it.
According to the account, the AI button's options include non-AI functions such as turning on the flashlight, activating the camera, and switching the phone's sound mode. A quick services option expands the possibilities by letting the button launch apps and specific app features, including creating a new event in Google Calendar, starting a song-recognition search in Deezer, and opening the password manager in Firefox. The writer says the number of supported apps and features was unexpected.
The writer ultimately assigned three shortcuts. A long press launches Pokémon Go, which the writer plays daily, avoiding the need to open the app drawer or use a home-screen shortcut. A double press opens the note-taking app Notesnook for quick note updates. A single press turns on the flashlight. The writer says the flashlight is available in quick settings, but the AI button is faster.
The account contrasts this flexibility with other phones. On the Motorola Edge 70, which the writer was reviewing, the AI button's options are limited to AI features or disabling the button entirely, with nothing in between. The writer also notes that Motorola's latest phones, including the Razr Fold and Motorola Edge, include dedicated AI buttons on the left side, and that such buttons are becoming more common as brands promote their own AI services.
As someone who does not use AI daily, the writer initially saw the HONOR 600 Pro's button as an unnecessary addition and would trigger it accidentally before immediately exiting the AI it launched. The writer says they already resent Gemini being tethered to the power button and home button, and that most Circle to Search launches happen by accident. After searching settings to disable the button, the writer found it could be customized.
The writer argues that if phone makers allowed users to treat these buttons as versatile shortcuts, the keys would be less likely to become an annoyance. The account points to existing Android shortcuts, such as launching the camera with the power button and taking screenshots by holding volume and power, as evidence that users still value physical key shortcuts. The writer concludes that reprogrammable AI buttons could offer a new avenue for convenience and productivity.