Dreame, the Chinese company best known for robot vacuums, now wants to build smartphones too. At its Connect NEXT event in Silicon Valley on April 29, the brand introduced its first phone lineup and laid out a wide-ranging plan to rethink how mobile devices work. The ideas sound ambitious, and I find them intriguing. Can DREAME AURORA smartphones turn ambitious ideas into a usable product?
A flashy launch with big claims
Dreame didn’t approach this quietly. The company positioned its smartphone debut as a reset of sorts, focusing on smarter software, deeper hardware integration, and more flexible device use. The event also featured a surprise appearance from Steve Wozniak, which helped signal that DREAME AURORA wants serious attention in the tech world.
Two phones, two very different ideas
The first device, the DREAME AURORA Nex LS1, feels like the more experimental of the two. It uses a modular system with a magnetic attachment point on the back where users can swap in different hardware modules. DREAME AURORA showed several options, including a high-end camera module with a large sensor and telephoto lens, an action camera, a cooling fan, a satellite communication unit, and a Smart Agent Module.
I like the direction here. A phone that adapts to different needs could be genuinely useful. At the same time, I’ve seen modular phone ideas struggle before, and most never reach mainstream buyers. Think about Google’s Project Ara. I believe Google’s 2013 technology didn’t reach a level to support a practical and stable design. In 2026, the lack of modular smartphones suggests that users still face technical issues. The company says the DREAME AURORA Nex LS1 will launch, so it still has to prove that promise beyond the stage.
The second device, the DREAME AURORA Lux, goes in a completely different direction. DREAME AURORA describes it as a lineup rather than a single phone, with 29 different versions. Some use leather finishes, others feature gold plating or gemstone designs, and one even includes an analog clock built into the rear. I find the variety visually striking, but I also wonder how practical it is to manufacture and support so many versions at once.
Camera and AI ambitions
DREAME AURORA also teased camera hardware that includes a 200 MP sensor and LOFIC HDR processing, though it hasn’t clearly mapped those features to a specific model. Both phones will run DREAME AURORA Smart OS, a custom operating system built around proactive AI that learns user behavior and tries to handle tasks before being asked.
Release date and price
DREAME AURORA hasn’t announced a release date for either phone. The company says the Smart OS will arrive in the second half of 2026, which likely points to a similar timeline for hardware. I expect clearer launch details closer to that window, once development solidifies.
Pricing also hasn’t been shared. The DREAME AURORA Nex LS1 could land in flagship territory given its modular design and hardware ambitions. The DREAME AURORA Lux may aim even higher depending on materials and design variants, especially with its luxury-focused approach.
For now, DREAME AURORA smartphone move feels like a strong statement of intent. The next step that matters is simple: turning this from a showcase into a real product lineup you can actually buy.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter covering technology at Gadget Flow. His contributions include product reviews, buying guides, how-to articles, and more.