SoftBank launches robot venture with Alibaba, Foxconn

[June 18, 2015]  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's SoftBank Corp said on Thursday that it was setting up a joint venture with Alibaba and Foxconn Technology to sell its human-like robot Pepper to consumers around the world.

The robots - which the mobile phone and Internet conglomerate envisions serving as baby-sitters, medical workers or even party companions - are already being used at stores including SoftBank's own mobile phone shops, but the companies said they would now be available to general consumers. SoftBank said it would have a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, with Alibaba and Foxconn holding 20 percent each. (Reporting by Yoshiyasu Shida and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Chris Gallagher) [© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.