Just posted to my Forbes column about something that feels inevitable in hindsight: robot app stores.
After Unitree launched what it called the world’s first robot app store, robotics software firm OpenMind has followed with its own — partnering with companies like UBTech Robotics, Agibot, Deep Robotics, Fourier Intelligence and others. The pitch is simple: just like phones and laptops became magical through apps, humanoid and quadruped robots will too.
“Your humanoid will be no different: thousands of apps … will give you almost unlimited choices,” founder Jan Liphardt told me.
The store is already live, with apps that turn robots into home sentries, companions, selfie assistants, crypto-monitoring bots and more. No dishwashing or laundry apps yet — that’s apparently for later — but the vision is clear: robots as upgradable platforms, where software evolves far faster than hardware. OpenMind says it already has more than 1,000 developers building on its OM1 modular operating system.
It’s early days, and yes, there are plenty of “my first app”–style experiments in the mix. But remember: the original iPhone app store had its share of novelty apps too. Over time, ecosystems mature.
“Robots need a skill and cognition layer that evolves faster than hardware,” Liphardt says. “The App Store is how robots become universal platforms whose skills can change over time to fit your needs.”
If that vision holds, buying a robot may one day feel less like buying an appliance — and more like buying a smartphone in 2008.