In an important expansion beyond its smartphone foundation, vivo unveiled its first mixed reality headset, “vivo Vision,” during the prestigious Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025. The headset introduction coincides with the company’s announcement of the new vivo Robotics Lab, signaling a broader technology strategy that extends into emerging computing paradigms.
Breaking New Ground with Mixed Reality
The vivo Vision headset represents the company’s initial venture into the mixed reality market. Currently in prototype stage, the device showcases vivo’s commitment to exploring spatial computing as a critical component of its future product ecosystem. While specific technical details remain limited, the company positioned Vision as a platform that will complement its newly established robotics initiatives.
Hu Baishan, Executive Vice President and COO explained during his Boao keynote:
Advancements in AI and robotics represent the pinnacle of technological achievements in the digital and physical worlds,” “Yet, these two worlds remain relatively independent and have not yet been perfectly integrated.
Building a Technology Bridge
According to vivo, the Vision headset serves as a technological bridge, developing real-time spatial computing capabilities that will ultimately benefit the company’s robotics endeavors. The expertise gained through mixed reality development—particularly in environmental mapping, gesture recognition, and real-time rendering—will directly inform how future robotic products perceive and interact with their surroundings.
This crossover between mixed reality and robotics highlights vivo’s integrated approach to research and development, where advancements in one technology area strengthen capabilities across the entire product ecosystem.
The Robotics Connection
The newly established vivo Robotics Lab marks a strategic pivot for the company, extending its technological reach from handheld devices to potentially autonomous systems that can navigate physical spaces. According to Hu’s keynote, the lab will specifically focus on two critical robotic components: the cognitive systems (the “brain”) and perceptual technologies (the “eyes”).
What distinguishes vivo’s approach from other robotics initiatives is its dedicated consumer focus. Rather than pursuing industrial or commercial applications, the company has committed to developing robotic products specifically for personal and home environments. This consumer-first strategy leverages vivo’s deep understanding of user needs gained through serving over 500 million users globally.
“Robotics could represent the future of the mobile phone industry, blending digital connectivity with physical capabilities,” Hu explained during the Forum. The company envisions a gradual evolution where robots become integrated into everyday scenarios, solving specific pain points rather than attempting revolutionary but potentially impractical applications.
The Robotics Lab builds upon vivo’s decade-long investment in its “BlueTech” technology matrix, which encompasses multiple domains including BlueImage (imaging systems), BlueLM (large language models), BlueOS (operating systems), BlueChip (semiconductor technology), and BlueVolt (power systems). This technological foundation provides vivo with multiple pathways to develop sophisticated robotic capabilities that extend beyond simple automation.
A Collaborative Future
With established research capabilities across seven R&D centers and a manufacturing capacity approaching 200 million units annually, vivo appears committed to meaningful contributions in both mixed reality and consumer robotics. The company has pledged to pursue collaborative development with industry partners to create a robust ecosystem around these emerging technologies.
As vivo expands beyond its smartphone origins into headsets and eventually robotics, its integrated approach to technology development positions it as a potentially significant player in the race to define next-generation computing platforms and smart home experiences.
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