Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. Chinese smartphone giant Honor is now jumping into the humanoid game as part of a $10B plan to pivot from screens to advanced AI. 

As rivals Xiaomi and Vivo double down on robotics, Honor’s fusion of cutting-edge hardware and open AI ecosystems may give it an edge. Ready to see how the smartphone wars are evolving into the era of smart robots?

In today’s robotics rundown:

• Smartphone giant Honor to build humanoids

• UBTech takes on Tesla with $20K humanoid

• Rivr’s delivery robot dog comes to the U.S

• China hosts the first humanoid boxing event

• Quick hits on other robotics news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

HONOR

🤖 Smartphone giant Honor to build humanoids

Image source: Joahsoam Hauo Mingea/Wikimedia Commons

The Rundown: Chinese smartphone giant Honor just announced a major push into robotics as part of its $10B investment aimed at transforming the company from a smartphone maker into a global AI device ecosystem leader.

The details:

• The company, a spin-off from Huawei, revealed that its proprietary AI algorithms helped Unitree break the world record for humanoid running speed.

• Honor has established a dedicated department for new business opportunities, focusing on robotics and specifically developing humanoids.

• In March, the company announced its move into advanced AI, starting with an “intelligent smartphone” and later expanding into an ecosystem of AI devices.

• CEO James Li said that Honor will work alongside partners Google Cloud, Qualcomm, and Vodafone to accelerate AI and robotics innovation.

Why it matters: The smartphone market, especially in China, has become highly saturated, with Xiaomi and Vivo looking for the next growth opportunity. For its part, Honor’s investment in “embodied AI labs” and partnerships with Google Cloud and Qualcomm underscore its intentions to lead, not follow, in the AI and robotics revolution.

UBTECH

🏠 UBTech takes on Tesla with $20K humanoid

Image source: UBTech

The Rundown: Chinese robotics powerhouse UBTech announced plans to launch a $20K household humanoid later this year — in a direct challenge to Tesla’s much-hyped Optimus robot.

The details:

• UBTech has built its reputation supplying advanced humanoids, such as the $100K Walker S1, to manufacturing giants like BYD and Foxconn.

• The upcoming home humanoid will target elderly care and daily living assistance in response to China’s rapidly aging population.

• It is expected to debut in 2025, with UBTech aiming to ship around 1K units in its first year and scaling up production tenfold by 2026.

• The company just launched a research humanoid dubbed Tien Kung, set at about $41K, with deliveries expected in the second quarter of 2025.

Why it matters: China is reportedly facing workforce shortages in eldercare, and UBTech stands to benefit from both policy support and surging market demand. Also, this move places UBTech head-to-head with Tesla, whose Optimus is similarly priced, with Elon Musk touting it as “Tesla’s biggest product ever.”

RIVR

📦 Rivr’s delivery robot dog comes to the U.S.

Image source: Rivr

The Rundown: Delivery tech firm Veho and Swiss robotics startup Rivr are zeroing in on last-mile deliveries with a new pilot program launching in Austin, which puts Rivr’s four-wheeled, stair-climbing delivery robots to work alongside delivery vans.

The details:

• The initiative focuses on the final 100 yards of the delivery process — widely regarded as the most difficult and time-consuming stage for human couriers.

• Packages are transported by Veho vans to neighborhoods, where a Rivr robot takes over, delivering parcels directly to customers’ doorsteps.

• The project is starting small, with one highly supervised robot working daily in five- to six-hour shifts over the course of a few weeks.

• Veho delivers across 50 U.S. markets for brands including Sephora, HelloFresh, and Saks, and Rivr aims to scale this project to 100 bots by next year.

Why it matters: Unlike most rivals, Rivr’s robots are engineered to handle the “last 100 yards” challenge, including stairs, porches, and gates—areas where most sidewalk-bound robots struggle. Backed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Rivr says it aims to place 1M delivery robots in cities, with plans to scale the Veho project to thousands by 2027.

UNITREE

 🥊 China hosts the first humanoid boxing event

Image source: Unitree Robotics

The Rundown: This week, Hangzhou’s Olympic Sports Center in China hosted the world’s first humanoid combat tournament, with four teams competing using Unitree Robotics’ four-foot-four-inch (1.27 meters) tall G1 humanoid.

The details:

• The event was part of China’s World Robot Competition Series and broadcast live on CCTV-10, with streams on social media platforms.

• The robots, clad in gloves and headgear, executed an array of boxing and kickboxing moves—straight punches, hooks, and even aerial sidekicks.

• However, these G1 robots, weighing 35kg (77 lb.), were not autonomous and were being remotely controlled by human operators using joysticks.

• Scoring was based on clean hits: one point for a punch, three for a kick, and penalties for falling or failing to recover within eight seconds.

Why it matters: The matches unfolded over three two-minute rounds, with the robots’ attacks more akin to forceful pushes than knockout blows. But this is the first of many such events to come, with Shenzhen hosting the EngineAI Robot Free Combat Tournament in December, promising more complex movement and harder punches.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in robotics today

DJI may be gearing up for the release of three new drones—the Mini 5 Pro, Avata 3, and Neo 2—according to leaks and FCC filings.

Home Team Science and Technology Agency exhibited four humanoids set to be deployed in 2027 at Singapore’s AI TechXplore this week.

ETH Zurich roboticists developed an AI-powered four-legged robot capable of autonomously playing badminton with humans.

Walgreens launched a new micro-fulfillment center where robots will handle 13M prescriptions each year for nearly 200 locations across the Midwest.

Japan tech firm Ubitus is developing three AI-powered medical robots, designed to enhance patient care, logistics, and safety using NVIDIA’s latest technologies.

Autonomous delivery network Arrive AI raised $40M for its last-mile logistics system, including drones, robots, and human couriers delivering to smart mailboxes.

Dutch researchers found that humans working alongside robots in Europe’s most automated industries report a sharp drop in job purpose.

Hyundai deployed AI-powered automatic EV charging robots at Incheon International Airport, in a world first at a major travel hub.

David Sacks, the White House AI and crypto czar, suggested on the ‘All In’ podcast that human-level robots could become widely available within five years.

UK research suggests that therapy robots should act as active partners, similar to therapy horses that respond to human emotions, rather than passive companions.

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Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team