Chinese humanoid robot company UBTECH Robotics (9880.HK) has recently sent a shockwave to the consumer market. On June 2, the company’s brand UWORLD launched pre-sale of the world’s first full-size super-bionic humanoid robot U1 series on JD.com (JD.com), focusing on the home emotional companionship market. As of June 5, pre-orders have exceeded 1,200 units, triggering heated discussions in the industry about “humanoid robots entering the home.”
China’s UBTECH launches U1 super bionic humanoid robot
The world’s first consumer-grade full-size super bionic humanoid robot
UBTECH is the world’s first robot company to bring bionic (or “real”) humanoid robots to the mass consumer market. This time, the U1 series has launched two models: the male model is 183 cm tall and weighs 42 kg; the female model is 168 cm tall and weighs 35.2 kg. The biggest highlight is that it has up to 88 degrees of freedom (DOF), far exceeding most competing products (Tesla Optimus has about 40, Yushu H1 has only 19), and can theoretically achieve extremely delicate body language and expression interactions. The battery life is about 2 to 4 hours, supports Wi-Fi connection, and has a built-in AI system for environmental learning and natural language interaction.
In terms of positioning, U1 is completely different from UBTECH’s existing Walker S industrial robot series. More than 1,000 Walker S units have been deployed in car factories such as Weilai, Jikrypton, Dongfeng Liuzhou Automobile, and FAW-Volkswagen, focusing on industrial scenarios such as assembly and testing. U1 “sinks” the motion control and force interaction technology accumulated in the Walker series to the consumer market. Its target customer groups are empty-nest elderly, young people living alone, and families in need of parent-child care.
Pre-order data is impressive, but price remains the key variable
After pre-orders started on June 2, orders exceeded 1,200 units in just 3 days, and as of June 8, the number had reached nearly 1,943 units. Consumers only need to pay a deposit of RMB 3,000 to reserve the first batch of places. The pre-sale will last until July 15, and the first batch of deliveries will be completed by September 15.
However, the biggest suspense at present is that the final selling price has not yet been announced. The industry speculates that the U1 may be priced between US$15,000 and US$30,000 (approximately NT$490,000 to NT$970,000). Compared with Yushu H1 research version which is about US$90,000 and Tesla Optimus’ target price of US$20,000, this pricing range, if true, will be competitive. UBTECH is expected to announce the final price at the official launch conference in Shenzhen on June 30.
Market controversy over emotional companion robots
U1 has locked in the positioning of “emotional companionship” and triggered heated discussions in the community. Supporters believe that the three-day pre-order of thousands of units proves the real demand for consumer-grade humanoid robots, and that UBTECH’s provision of male/female versions is the first personalization strategy in the market; JD.com, as a mainstream e-commerce channel, has significantly lowered the threshold for consumer access.
Opponents raised several questions: First, the battery life of only 2 to 4 hours is obviously insufficient for home use scenarios; second, U1 does not support secondary development, which limits the application possibilities for advanced users; third, whether the ethical issues of “emotional companion humanoid robots” will affect real human interaction and create unhealthy dependence is still a sociological issue to be answered.
In addition, there are discussions on the Internet about the “uncanny valley” effect of these two robots being too realistic. In addition, they are officially claimed to have 88 degrees of freedom. Based on the current display video, they may still be similar to “electronic lanterns” placed at fixed points. It is also doubtful whether they can interact normally with other humanoid robots.
Unveil UBTECH Full-Size Advanced Bionic Humanoid Robot——U1 Pro Series 🤖✨
U1 Pro comes with a Built‑in Memory‑Emotional AI Model, Enhanced Human‑Robot Interaction, Local Encryption of Memory, and Customizable Appearance.
More tech surprises on the way. Stay tuned. 🚀#UWORLD… pic.twitter.com/ttpHI7lESU
— UBTECH Robotics (@UBTECHRobotics) June 8, 2026
Global humanoid robot market competition landscape
Looking around the world, the humanoid robot market is ushering in a situation where a hundred flowers are blooming. Unitree H1 research version has been shipped, Figure AI’s Figure 02 has received US$675 million in financing, 1X Technologies’ NEO is attacking the home market with a monthly subscription fee of US$499, and Tesla Optimus is still in the factory testing stage. The biggest differentiation of UBTECH U1 is that it took the lead in entering the consumer market and directly targeting C-end consumers through JD.com. (Editor’s note: Except for the source mentioning JD.com, we did not find any relevant pre-order page)
Goldman Sachs research predicts that the global humanoid robot market will reach $38 billion by 2035. 2026 is regarded as the “first year of mass production” in China, and humanoid robots are moving from concept display to the mass production delivery stage. The pre-order results of UBTECH U1 may become an important touchstone for this wave.
Looking back on the development history of UBTECH, from its start in Shenzhen in 2012, to the establishment of educational robots, to the field verification of the Walker series in car factories, the launch of U1 now marks the first time that humanoid robots have truly faced the test of consumer payment. The press conference on June 30 will determine whether this product is “the key to your home” or “another expensive toy.”