The Spring Festival Gala has sparked significant interest in the robot consumer market, with several companies announcing their targets for 2026. During the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, companies such as Unitree Technology, Songyan Power, Magic Atom, and Galaxy General showcased their latest technological advancements, generating excitement in the robot consumer market.
According to data from JD.com, the number of users visiting robot products from New Year’s Eve to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year increased by over four times year-on-year, while the number of users searching for “robots” surged by 25 times. Additionally, the demand for robot rentals saw a significant rise, with the rental platform Qingtian Rent expecting to surpass 5,000 orders during the Spring Festival.
As robotic technology continues to advance, companies are actively expanding into various application scenarios such as commercial performances, education, and retail. A growth in order volume and delivery scale is anticipated by 2026.
The Spring Festival Gala provided a prime opportunity for robot companies to demonstrate their products and technologies. For instance, Unitree Technology’s robot performed martial arts alongside children from the Henan Tagou Martial Arts School, showcasing impressive moves such as flips and backflips. The 1.8-meter tall Unitree H2 robot also made an appearance. Meanwhile, Songyan Power featured its robots in a skit titled “Grandma’s Favorite.” Magic Atom presented six humanoid robots, MagicBot Z1, and two MagicBot Gen1 robots performing alongside artists in a segment called “Creating the Future.” Additionally, over a hundred four-legged robots, MagicDog, participated in the performance, taking on a panda design.
Galaxy General’s robots appeared in a short film titled “The Night I Can’t Forget,” where the robot “Xiao Gai” demonstrated various dexterous tasks, including cracking walnuts and picking up glass shards. These captivating performances attracted significant audience attention and boosted online sales. JD.com reported a substantial increase in robot-related searches, customer inquiries, and orders within two hours of the gala’s broadcast. At 10 PM on New Year’s Eve, JD.com launched several products, including “Spring Festival Gala” themed robots, with limited-time discounts. Many robots from brands like Magic Atom and Unitree Technology sold out within minutes.
From New Year’s Eve to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the number of users browsing robot products on JD.com grew remarkably, while the views for quadruped and exoskeleton robots also saw a significant increase.
The robot rental market is equally thriving. Data from Qingtian Rent indicated that as of February 12, the platform had received over 1,000 orders during the Spring Festival holiday. The platform projects an overall GMV growth of 80% during the holiday period, with total orders expected to exceed 5,000. Furthermore, the demand for robot rentals is experiencing a dual increase in volume and pricing, as more standardized scenarios such as New Year’s greetings, proposals, and parent-child interactions emerge, alongside a growing need for high-complexity and high-exposure situations.
A report from Fangzheng Securities highlighted that advancements in key technologies such as large-scale models, multi-modal perception, and precision components are driving the Chinese robotics industry from conceptualization to feasible technology and from prototype demonstrations to mass production.
In light of the Spring Festival Gala, various robot companies showcased their technical highlights and recent developments. According to Unitree Technology’s WeChat account, their technical highlight involved a high concurrency cluster control system, enabling dozens of robots to perform coordinated actions in real-time. Combined with AI algorithms and 3D laser radar, this system ensures precise positioning even after vigorous movements. Founder Wang Xingxing mentioned that the robots executed martial arts moves while swiftly changing formations, marking a global first for such high-dynamic, high-coordination control technology. He projected the company’s target shipment volume for this year at 10,000 to 20,000 units, following a reported shipment of over 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025.
Songyan Power revealed that their team spent a month overcoming technical challenges to achieve a flawless performance. The consumer-grade humanoid robot, Little Bumi, which stands at just 94 cm tall and weighs about 17 kg, will be the company’s flagship product for 2026. Songyan Power aims to prepare for Little Bumi’s delivery, initially focusing on applications such as companionship and education in home settings, with plans to gradually expand into new scenarios, driving order and delivery growth. The company also intends to accelerate overseas product certification this year, targeting major markets in North America, the Middle East, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, with a goal of achieving a market expansion of around 1,000 units in the second quarter.
Galaxy General showcased robots designed for retail scenarios, featuring their Galbot as a “retail clerk” in the Galaxy Space Capsule Robot Retail Store. This robot autonomously handles welcoming guests, multi-language interactions, product recommendations, order payments, precise item retrieval, and face-to-face delivery. A company representative noted that over 100 units of the Galaxy Space Capsule have been deployed in various locations, including Beijing’s Summer Palace, Shanghai’s Baiyulan, Shenzhen’s Qianhai, Hangzhou’s West Lake, Chengdu’s Chunxi Road, and Suzhou’s Shizishan Square.
Magic Atom’s panda robot, which was presented at the Yibin sub-venue, has officially launched and is now a bestseller. This robot, designed to resemble a giant panda, maintains accuracy and group coordination during dynamic performances. Co-founder Gu Shitao emphasized that the value of the Spring Festival Gala performance lies in providing customizable robotic solutions for enterprises, catering to the growing needs of cultural tourism sites, commercial entities, and event organizers. Currently, Magic Atom has initiated in-depth engagement with key clients in the cultural tourism sector and is opening up rental and bulk procurement channels to transition robots from being “technological collectibles” to “commercial assets.”
The “Spring Festival Gala effect” is driving commercialization in the robotics sector. Zhang Miao, CMO of Songyan Power, remarked that the participation of multiple robot companies in the gala signifies a pivotal moment for commercialization in the industry. Dongwu Securities believes that the substantial progress in the core capabilities of robots is crucial for their successful exposure through the gala, paving the way for robots to transition from labs to factories. In 2026, Tesla and leading domestic companies are set to commence large-scale production, ushering in a new era for the robotics industry. An analysis by Xiangcai Securities indicates that the collective appearance of robot companies at the gala will enhance public awareness and acceptance of robotic products, while the demonstration of complex and precise actions indicates their readiness for real-world application, laying the groundwork for future large-scale commercialization.
Industry insiders predict that 2025 will mark the year of mass production for embodied intelligent robots, with 2026 seeing a shift in focus towards exploring commercialization in various scenarios.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/spring-festival-gala-sparks-surge-in-robot-market-as-companies-set-2026-goals/
