This marks the conclusion of an era for devoted fans of the high-tech toy, which develops its own personality and can perform tricks like waving and mimicking its owner.
The ERS-1000 aibo model — a 30-centimeter (one-foot) long dog with flapping ears, eyes that express emotions, and a nose camera — captivated customers upon its release in 2018, achieving 20,000 sales in just the first six months.
It also represented a significant resurgence for Sony’s robotic dog.
The original version of aibo launched in 1999, leading to several different models, ranging from angular silver designs to more endearing round-faced iterations.
Over 150,000 units were sold by 2006, when Sony, confronted with a challenging business climate, halted production of the pet gadget, perceived as a somewhat frivolous luxury.
Sony stated Thursday that Japan sales of the current ERS-1000 model will cease once existing stock is depleted.
Services like technical support access, replacement parts, and subscriptions for online cloud storage of the robodog’s memories will continue, the company confirmed.
When asked about the possibility of a new generation of aibo, Sony informed AFP that “the aibo business will persist.”
“While we cannot share specific details regarding future product plans at this time, we will keep expanding our array of new products and services so that aibo remains a beloved companion for its owners and evolves alongside them,” it added.
Sony did not disclose an overall sales figure for the aibo model introduced in 2018.
However, it mentioned that sales will persist in the United States, where aibo retails for over $3,000, and it is not sold in any other countries.
Japanese fans reacted vocally to the news.
“I’ve been in a daze ever since I saw the announcement. Until more information is available, I need to be cautious not to disrupt my daily life by overthinking,” wrote X user Yachi.
“So it’s ending already? It didn’t last until the golden era of physical AI,” Yusuke Ando commented.
Another X user, Daiyamondo, suggested to Sony: “Next time you create one, could you make it half the size and shaped like a cat?”
