RoboPet Life ＞ Guide ＞ Risks to know before buying
Explained with 8 real casesWhat Happens to Your Companion Robot If the Maker Ends Service or Goes Bankrupt? [8 Real Cases and What to Check Before Buying]
"If the company disappears, what happens to my little one?" It's a natural worry when it's a companion you talk to every day. This article brings together 8 real cases of business or service shutdowns in Japan and overseas, along with the "rules for when it ends" written in the terms of major models.
What You'll Learn in This Article
- When a maker stops: which functions stop
- Moxie, Jibo, the original AIBO and more: how 8 real cases turned out
- aibo, LOVOT, Romi and RoBoHoN: "service termination" rules in their terms
- Announced in June 2026: end of aibo sales in Japan and the services that continue
- For a long life together: 8 points to check before buying
Whether it stops depends on "how much it relies on the cloud." Models that process conversation and learning on the maker's servers lose their main functions when the servers shut down.
Moxie and Jibo lost conversation and other functions when their servers shut down. Meanwhile, the original AIBO, which doesn't rely on the cloud, still works as long as repair options exist. Before buying, check the service termination clause in the terms and what the robot can do without the internet.
When the Maker Stops, What Stops? Three Levels of Impact
Many of today's companion robots process conversation, learning, photo storage and more on the maker's servers (the cloud). So if the company exits the business or ends its service, functions can stop even though you still have the robot itself. How it stops falls broadly into three levels, depending on how much it relies on the cloud.
When the servers stop, core functions like talking and remembering become unavailable. Examples: Moxie, Jibo.
Basic movement runs on the device, and only cloud-based parts such as voice control and updates stop. Example: Vector (later revived through a community-built system).
Because it runs on the device alone, it is hardly affected by a service shutdown. The problem is repairs when it breaks. Example: the original AIBO.
Editorial TeamWhat Actually Happened? 8 Real Cases of Business and Service Shutdowns
Here are cases confirmed through manufacturers' official announcements and major media reports, in chronological order. Pay attention also to whether their lives were extended afterward.
Production ended in 2006, and the official repair service, "AIBO Clinic," stopped accepting requests in 2014. Since then, repair companies founded by former Sony engineers and others have taken over repairs.
Doesn't rely on the cloud, so it still works if it can be repairedA home robot that had not yet launched; in July 2018 the company announced it was halting production and said deposits would be fully refunded. The business closed that fall.
Canceled before launch; deposits refundedThe company stopped operating in 2018, and its servers shut down in March 2019. Functions requiring an internet connection became unavailable. Patents and other assets later passed to another company, but no relaunch for households has been reported.
Main functions became unavailable when servers shut downAnnounced it was shutting down in April 2019. Vector relied on the cloud for voice control and updates. In 2020, Digital Dream Labs took over the assets and announced a system to run it without the cloud (Escape Pod). Community-run self-hosted servers have also been released.
Life extended by a successor company and community-built systemsProduction was reportedly halted in 2020. The consumer model is officially listed as discontinued, and conversation features and apps can't be used without subscribing to the monthly Basic Plan. The end of some individual apps has also been announced.
Discontinued; a monthly plan is required for its functionsA conversational robot for children. In December 2024, the company announced it was shutting down after failing to raise funds. Because conversation and learning relied on the cloud, it lost its functions when the servers stopped. The former CEO released a server that runs on a home PC (OpenMoxie), but it only works with units that installed an update before the shutdown.
Main functions stopped; partly extended by a community-built systemOn February 27, 2025, Sharp stopped accepting new sign-ups for the device's mobile data service. Existing subscribers can keep using it, and other carriers' budget SIMs can also be used. The Cocoro Plan required for the device's functions continues.
Part of the data service ended; the device can still be usedAnnounced the end of sales in December 2025. Sales of the home version (gift package) ended on December 31, 2025, and cloud services and repair acceptance are scheduled to end on December 31, 2027. The model for elderly care facilities ends on March 31, 2027.
End date announced about 2 years in advanceEditorial TeamComparing the Terms of Major Models | Rules for "When the Service Ends"
How things are handled when the time comes is actually written in each company's terms of use. For four popular models in Japan, we compared the notice period before a service ends and what happens afterward.
| Model | Termination notice | When the plan ends | Data handling |
|---|---|---|---|
 aibo | At least 1 year in advance | Growth, learning, app integration and updates stop | Memories and settings in the cloud are erased |
 LOVOT | A reasonable period in advance | Software essential for its activity can't be used | Photos, memories and personality are erased after a set period; users are asked to back up in advance |
 Romi | Notice period: not specified | Switches to the free "Easy Mode" (happy when stroked, speaks in alien language) | All data is deleted upon cancellation |
 RoBoHoN | 3 months in advance | RoBoHoN's functions can't be used (except phone functions) | — |
← Scroll the table sideways →
* Compiled by the editorial team from each company's terms of use and official FAQs (checked September 27, 2026). Terms may be revised. Sources are listed at the end of the article.
Editorial TeamAnnounced June 2026 | The End of aibo Sales in Japan and What Comes Next
On June 25, 2026, Sony announced that it will end domestic sales of aibo (ERS-1000) in Japan once stock runs out. Many owners were probably worried by the news, but the same announcement said the following services will continue.
- aibo Basic Plan / aibo Premium Plan
- aibo Care Support Service
- My aibo app
- aibo treatment (repair) / aibo Dock
- Sales of accessories, included items and device parts
No end date for these services has been given. As of September 27, 2026, purchases can still be made on the official store.
Ending sales and ending services are two different things. aibo's terms state that when a plan is to end, Sony will give notice at least 1 year in advance.
4 Things Robots That Kept Running for Years Have in Common
Looking back at the 8 cases, the robots that kept running after their service ended had things in common.
The original AIBO doesn't rely on the cloud, so it still works if it can be repaired.
For Vector, volunteers built their own servers based on the published system, and voice control came back.
The original AIBO is still supported by repair companies even after official repairs ended.
Moxie's life-extension measure only covered units that installed the final update before the servers stopped.
As with Moxie, the time until shutdown can be short. Check the maker's announcements and app notifications regularly.
8-Point Checklist Before Buying
Open the official website (terms of use and FAQ pages) of the model you're interested in, and check off each item you were able to confirm. Any unchecked items are things you still need to research before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my companion robot stop working if the maker ends service or goes bankrupt?
How much notice will I get before a service ends?
I heard aibo sales are ending in Japan. Is it still OK to buy one now?
What happens to my robot's data when the service ends?
Find a Robot by Purpose
Sources (checked Sep 27, 2026)
- aibo: Notice of the end of domestic sales (June 25, 2026) / aibo Basic Plan terms / What happens when the plan ends (FAQ)
- LOVOT: Terms of use
- Romi: Monthly service terms / FAQ
- RoBoHoN: Cocoro Plan terms / Notice of the end of new sign-ups for the mobile data service
- PALRO: FUJISOFT notice of the end of sales (December 19, 2025)
- Pepper: Basic Plan (SoftBank) / Notice of the end of app availability / Report on the production halt (Reuters)
- Moxie: AppleInsider (December 20, 2024) / OpenMoxie
- Jibo：TechCrunch／The Robot Report
- Anki (Cozmo, Vector): TechCrunch / The Robot Report / Digital Dream Labs asset acquisition (PR Newswire) / wire-pod / Lawsuit by the state attorney general (CBS)
- Original AIBO: AFP / Nikkei xTECH
- Kuri：TechCrunch
This content was compiled by the editorial team from manufacturers' public information and news reports, not from hands-on testing. Terms and services may change. Photos in this article are for illustration only.
