Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 1
UBTech Launches U1 Humanoid Robot From 119,800 Yuan as China Pushes Home Companions
Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 1

UBTech Launches U1 Humanoid Robot From 119,800 Yuan as China Pushes Home Companions

3 articles · Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 1

Summary

  • UBTech on Tuesday unveiled the U1 in Shenzhen, a lifelike humanoid built for companionship at home rather than factory work, with prices ranging from 119,800 yuan to 990,000 yuan.
  • The robot comes in male and female versions standing 183 cm and 168 cm tall, with 88 servo joints, silicone skin and an emotional AI model running locally on Rockchip’s RK3588 processor.
  • User data stays on the device instead of being uploaded to the cloud, while the U1 is designed to converse, maintain eye contact and is sold only to adults.
  • The launch highlights Chinese tech firms’ broader push to expand humanoid robotics beyond industrial applications into domestic, consumer-facing use.

Insights

Can a $17,000 companion robot succeed where simpler social bots have failed to prove their value in the home?
By keeping its AI offline for privacy, is UBTech's new robot sacrificing its ability to learn and get smarter?
Is China's massive humanoid robot push a tech revolution or an investment bubble on the verge of popping?