Humanoid robots in training for several months to assemble iPhones in China
Apple and its manufacturing partner Foxconn have joined forces with robotics company UBTech to bring humanoid robots into the factories, and they've taken months to receive the proper training in order to make the next lot of iPhones.
Real life robots are becoming more of a reality every single day, as we see 'disturbing' intimacy robots that provide service alongside humanoid artists capable of producing work worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are going all-in on robotics too, and Tesla is a prime example as their Optimus robots have proven to be capable of the most 'human-like' actions in recent videos.
Apple appears to be the latest to join the fray too, as reports from SupercarBlondie indicate that the most valuable company in the world and its production partner Foxconn have deployed humanoid robots into their factories.
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This is possible due to partnership with Chinese robotics company UBTech, as it's supplying the top-of-the-line Walker S1 robots to complete 'complicated and delicate production' on the floor.
This will likely include construction of the new iPhone, as these robots have been trained for months on the specificity of 3C (computers, communication, and consumer electronics) manufacturing.
Training has taken so long due to how different these processes are to that of car production, which is where robots like the Walker S1 have been predominantly used so far.
It has been indicated that this partnership will "accelerate the wider application of humanoid robots in smart manufacturing" and could likely be a game changer for smaller tech like smartphones.
Bots are currently only stationed at Foxconn's Shenzhen Longhua facility, but we could perhaps see them be further deployed once the parent companies are more confident that it's up to scratch.
This is far from the first time that this specific partnership has favored robots over human workers either, as Foxconn previously replaced around 60,000 employees with robots back in 2016, as reported by Quartz.
While the robots in question here weren't of the humanoid variant, instead being more mechanical and industrial, it shows both Foxconn and Apple's willingness to favor robotic production, especially when it comes to cutting costs.
Foxconn department head Xu Yulian outlined back then that "the Foxconn factory has reduced its employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000 thanks to the introduction of robots," adding that "it has tasted success in reduction of labor costs."
While many were worried about a dystopian future where robots completely usurp human workers, representatives of the company outlined that the decision nine years ago wasn't indicative of mass job losses but instead would allow human workers to focus on "higher value-added elements in the manufacturing process."
How much that sentiment remains now after the introduction of humanoid workers is yet to be seen, but it certainly shows that the trend towards more intelligent and advanced robotics is perhaps only in its infancy.