SoftBank Launches Robot Venture With Alibaba, Foxconn

Advertisement
By NDTV Correspondent | Updated: 18 June 2015 13:27 IST
Japan's SoftBank Corp said on Thursday it is setting up a joint venture with Chinese online shopping giant Alibaba and electronics supplier Foxconn Technology to sell its human-like robot Pepper around the world.

The robots - which the mobile phone and Internet conglomerate envisions serving as baby-sitters, medical workers or even party companions - would go on sale to general consumers from Saturday for JPY 198,000 (roughly Rs. 1.02 lakh) each plus monthly fees and insurance, the companies said in a joint statement.

The waist-high robot, which is already used in stores including SoftBank's mobile phone shops, can learn and express human emotions, according to the Japanese firm.

Advertisement

Foxconn already produces Pepper but a general sale, especially with the involvement of Alibaba, will require greater investment, according to some analysts.

SoftBank said it would have a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, with Alibaba and Taiwan-based Foxconn each spending JPY 14.5 billion (roughly Rs. 752 crores) for 20 percent stakes.

SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said the partnership was a first step to becoming a top robotics business.

"We will aim to be the No.1 robotics company," he said.

Advertisement

Earlier this month, Foxconn was revealed to be in talks to manufacture Apple's iPhone in India by government officials, in a move that could lower prices in the world's No.3 smartphone market where the US firm trails Samsung Electronics and local players.

India could help Foxconn mitigate accelerating wage inflation in China, where it makes the majority of iPhones, and base production sites closer to markets where its key clients want to grow.

Advertisement

Lower production costs could also help Foxconn keep hold of Apple orders amid intensifying competition with nimble manufacturing rivals such as Quanta Computer.

Written with inputs from Reuters

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Free Fire India Set to Launch in India on This Date
  1. WhatsApp Is Reportedly Working on a New Settings Menu for Android Users
  2. Anthropic Says Mythos 5 Used Fake Identities to Get Malicious Code Approved on GitHub
  3. Binance Pursues Brazilian Regulatory Approval Ahead of October 30 Deadline
  4. iQOO Neo 12, iQOO Pad Pro With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC Spotted on Geekbench Ahead of Launch
  5. X Appears to Be Nudging Users to Pay to Promote Posts With a Giant Hand Graphic
  6. Ethereum Resolves Glamsterdam Bug That Could Have Redirected Staking Deposits
  7. Bloober Team's Silent Hill Remake Is Reportedly Targeting Launch in 2027
  8. MacBook Pro (2026) Launched in India With 14-Inch OLED Display, Apple’s M6 Chip: Price, Specifications
  9. iMac (2026) With M6 Chip, 4.5K Retina Display and Apple Intelligence Launched in India: Price, Specifications
  10. Oppo Find X10 Forest Green Edition Pricing and Availability Details Announced: Specifications, Features
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.