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Nubia starts selling iMoochi AI pet in China
Nubia has launched the iMoochi companion robot in China from 1699 yuan, with OLED eyes, touch sensors, 4G, and 8–10 hours of battery life.
Image: iXBT
Nubia has begun selling its iMoochi companion robot in China, months after ZTE first showed it at MWC 2026. Pricing starts at 1699 yuan (about $250), while a version bundled with a cloud-shaped charging dock costs 1778 yuan (about $262).
Rather than acting like a typical smart speaker, iMoochi is designed for emotional interaction. Its body is covered in a soft, touch-friendly material, and its eyes are replaced by two OLED displays that show different expressions. Built-in motors let the robot nod, shake its head, and wag its tail, giving it more pet-like behavior.
The robot includes five touch sensors, a six-axis motion sensor, and multiple microphones that can detect the direction of a speaker’s voice. According to the source, its AI analyzes not just what a user says but also the emotional tone of speech, recognizes the owner by voice, and gradually builds up a history of interactions.
To avoid the uncanny valley effect, the developers chose not to give iMoochi a realistic human voice. Instead, it communicates through a custom sound set meant to resemble purring, laughter, and other pet-like responses. It can also yawn on its own, react to ambient temperature, and suggest play sessions.
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Connectivity includes Wi‑Fi, 4G, and NFC for interacting with other iMoochi robots. The built-in battery is rated for 8–10 hours of use, and the iMoochi Life app lets users track conversation history, the robot’s emotional state, and interaction time.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
