Sony discontinues Japan sales of robot puppy ‘aibo’

TOKYO: Sony is halting sales of its robotic puppy “aibo” in Japan, the company said, eight years after the latest model of its interactive android pet became an instant hit.

The announcement Thursday marks the end of an era for loyal fans of the high-tech toy, which develops its own personality and can perform tricks like waving and mimicking its owner.

The ERS-1000 model of aibo — a 30-centimetre long hound with flapping ears, eyes that show various emotions, and a nose camera — charmed customers on its launch in 2018, clocking up 20,000 sales in the first six months.

It was also a big comeback for Sony’s robot dog.

The first iteration of aibo came out in 1999, followed by numerous models over the years — from angular metallic-silver bots to more cuddly round-faced versions — with more than 150,000 units sold.

But by 2006, Sony, facing a tough business environment, pulled the plug on aibo, seen as something of a frivolous luxury.

Sony said in a short statement Thursday that Japan sales of the current ERS-1000 model will be discontinued once stock runs out.

Services such as access to tech support, replacement parts and subscriptions to online cloud plans to store the robodog’s memories will be maintained, it said.

The company did not immediately respond to questions from AFP on plans for a potential new generation of aibo, or on sales in the US, where it retails for more than US$3,000.

But in Japan, fans had a vocal reaction to the news.

“I’ve been in a daze ever since I saw the announcement. Until more information comes out, I need to be careful not to mess up my daily life from overthinking,” wrote X user Yachi.

“So it’s over already? It didn’t last until the golden age of physical AI,” Yusuke Ando wrote.

Another X user called Daiyamondo had a suggestion for Sony: “Next time you develop one, could you make it half the size, and cat-shaped?”