The CEO of the Japanese SoftBank telecommunications group still welcomed at will this week before the shareholders and the press performance of its business that promises to turn into multinational figurehead of technological innovation.
SotBank Friday held its general meeting of shareholders annual meeting of MTR, the day after a press conference on mega-marketing its debut Pepper robot to the general public . Japanese
After a self-
good report on the group’s profit accounts for the past financial year, the billionaire boss, Masayoshi Son, has engaged in one of his favorite exercises: present the challenges that He intends to meet and predict the future.
“SoftBank happened to his two phase, international development, to be a global player,” he said immediately His who created this company there are more 30.
Initially “software library” for companies, the company has since become one of the three Japanese telecom giants alongside NTT and KDDI, through redemptions.
After including mobile activities resumed in poor health the British Vodafone and Japan have created Yahoo Japan!, SoftBank has recently bought the 3rd US cellular network operator, Sprint, and holds more than 30% of the giant Chinese online commerce Alibaba.
“The links between SoftBank and Alibaba, which will further grow and again, will intensify in the coming years,” said Mr. Son, remarks that ” illustrates the entrance of the Chinese giant of online business and industrial Taiwanese Hon Hai (Foxconn) to the capital of its subsidiary robots.
The two partner companies will each inject 14.5 billion yen (over EUR 100 million) in SoftBank Robotics robot which featured Pepper. After this transaction, SoftBank will retain 60% of its subsidiary, and that Alibaba and Foxconn will each hold 20%.
“Together we will build a structure to hoist Pepper and other robots on the international stage”, explained the three firms in a joint statement.
The three companies will produce Pepper in series, at a rate of one to two thousand a month. The mass production of electronic products is the specialty of Foxconn that assembles smartphones including iPhone from the US Apple. Alibaba propose meanwhile Pepper robots on its e-commerce site in China.
The strategy of alliances and equity stakes in all directions is completed, SoftBank warned: “We will strengthen our management structure, which began with the appointment of Nikesh Arora (defector from Google) as number 2 of the group “, also said the CEO. That Mr. Nikesh has still received since joining the group (which dates from less than one year) the modest sum of 120 million euros …! “To achieve our goals, we need a very strong team,” explained Mr. Son
And
promise. “SoftBank become a large multinational, with the spirit of challenge, the sense of innovation. ” Three areas of particular interest SoftBank: the Internet of Things (able to connect to the network and share them various information), artificial intelligence and robots. “At the moment, each individual has an average of 2 objects connecting to the internet, but in 2040, it will be 1,000 properties a person who will interact network (TV, fridge, car, clothes, etc.), I ‘ ‘m sure! “predicts Mr. Son who judge the huge potential for the group and its partners. “Already, we are starting to see the technologies and services in this direction,” he notes. Finally, with regard
robots, SoftBank is confident they will one day have the same place in homes computers today. “Robotics will become a critical field of technological innovations with implications in areas such as healthcare, utilities, research or home life,” said the founder and CEO of Alibaba Group Jack Ma.
SoftBank has announced the commercialization Thursday from Saturday’s semi-android Pepper individuals in Japan. One thousand of these robots will be initially available for a price of 198,000 yen (1,424 euros), which will be added 36 monthly payments of 24,600 yen (177 euros) for additional software functionality and assurance. SoftBank has already delivered 300 Pepper for developers to create specific programs and 200 applications are already promised.
In Japan, Pepper robots already working in the SoftBank agencies and household appliances stores to promote coffee pots, and shortly will provide hospitality in branches of Mizuho Bank. Pepper, co-developed with the French company Aldebaran acquired by SoftBank is supposed to know talk naturally and help the people with whom he cohabits.
“The children of tomorrow will know from birth communicate with robots,” predicts Masayoshi Son. “SofBank participate in the technological revolution for the good of humanity,” yet secured whoever is sometimes considered the “guru” Japanese telecoms.
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