UBTech launches the U1 — the first mass-produced lifelike companion robot

In Shenzhen, UBTech unveiled the UWORLD U1 — a silicone-skinned, full-size humanoid built for companionship, not the factory floor. Male (183 cm) and female (168 cm) bodies, 88 degrees of freedom, on-device emotion-aware AI, and encrypted local memory. It is the first lifelike companion sold at scale: three trims from ¥119,800 (~$17,650) to ¥990,000, adults only, with 13,000-plus preorders on JD.com before a price was even announced. The milestone isn't the tech — it's that you can order one.