OpenMind's robot app store unites UBTECH and Fourier for 'write once, run everywhere'—because nothing screams innovation like debugging code that trips over bipedal humanoids and robotic dogs

On January 27, 2026, OpenMind launched its robot app store on Apple's App Store, marking a significant shift in the robotics industry from a "hardware race" to a "software ecosystem". Eight companies, including UBTECH and Fourier, have partnered with OpenMind, indicating a paradigm change. OpenMind's open-source operating system, OM1, aims to enable "cross-embodiment robotics", allowing developers to write code that can run on various robots. The system must address technical challenges such as hardware abstraction, security, and performance overhead. OM1's design philosophy focuses on "capability-oriented" programming, where developers issue commands targeting abstract motion capabilities. The app store requires developers to declare physical requirement profiles for each skill, and its backend algorithms match these with robot capabilities. This development has significant implications for the industry, enabling the creation of a unified developer ecosystem and potentially integrating robotics technology into everyday life, similar to smartphones.