36Kr Warns of Humanoid Robot Stock Rally in Article on Unitree

36Kr reported on issues surrounding Unitree and humanoid robots on October 21, 2026.

36Kr addressed how valuations tied to Unitree can be driven by share prices and expectations, while real-world deployment is constrained by different conditions. Related past reports have documented the use of robots in cleaning services and falling rental fees, showing that commercial robots are judged not only by their capabilities but also by operating conditions.

36Kr's latest article can be read as a reason to reassess the gap between expectations and reality at a time when valuations of humanoid robots, with Unitree at the center, can run ahead of the facts. As the headline suggests, the focus appears to be less on the specifications of individual products than on the gap between expectations for concept stocks and real-world implementation. What matters here is how 36Kr itself portrays that gap; see the original article for details. In the context of this newspaper's past coverage, Tau Robotics reportedly offers cleaning services using the Unitree G1 showed that Unitree robots are being used for service applications, not just research and demonstrations. That said, their deployment involves modifications and adaptation to the worksite, and it cannot be said that they are ready for immediate, large-scale adoption by the general public. The latest 36Kr article can be understood as again highlighting the distance between such “visible deployments” and widespread adoption. In addition, 36Kr reports on overseas expansion by Unitree-affiliated companies and falling rental fees for commercial robots focused on overseas expansion and falling rental fees. Lower prices can reduce barriers to adoption, while making it harder to differentiate robots and generate revenue. If the latest article is centered on a “reality check” for the humanoid stock rally, the next focus will be how pricing and supply expansion can support an investment theme driven by expectations. Moreover, as OpenAI's 19 robotics-related job openings, spanning control and manufacturing showed, robots that operate in the real world require a broad effort encompassing control, electrical engineering, manufacturing and data infrastructure. Coverage of Unitree should also be understood in terms of the broader structure, including mass production, maintenance, data collection and operating software, rather than the performance of the robot alone. However, the available excerpt is not enough to determine how far the latest 36Kr article went into specific supply chains or revenue structures. There are three points to watch going forward. First, how frequently Unitree robots are used commercially and at what price. Second, whether falling prices are leading to increased sales volumes or putting pressure on profitability. Third, what constraints in components, control and maintenance remain as use shifts from service applications to mass production.

For Japanese companies, the issue is not just competition over robot capabilities but also the conditions for commercialization, including operation, maintenance and parts supply. Based on publicly available information, there is more material for comparison on both robot pricing and service use. The focus for Japanese companies will be where they can differentiate themselves in control, manufacturing and maintenance.