Inside Dreame’s wild launch event — packed with products no one can buy

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FollowSee All RobotInside Dreame’s wild launch event — packed with products no one can buyThe Chinese robot vacuum maker brought together influencers, celebrities, and plenty of vaporware for its big San Francisco event. If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Technical Details

by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Jennifer Pattison TuohySenior Reviewer, Smart HomePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison TuohyPhotography by Kelsey McClellan / The VergeMay 7, 2026, 1:15 PM UTC If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

The San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts hosted the Dreame Next 2026 Tech Summit last week. | Photo by Kelsey McClellan / The VergePart OfAll the smart home news, reviews, and gadgets you need to know aboutsee all updates Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Jennifer Pattison TuohyPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy is a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience.

She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, , and US News. Hundreds of influencers, media folks, and a few C-list celebs (sorry, Woz) filled the cavernous halls of the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts last week. They were assembled for Dreame’s launch event, ostensibly into both America and a much bigger ecosystem of products.

Industry Implications

Across the four-day showcase, the Chinese robot vacuum company pitched an AI-wrapped future that extends beyond floor cleaning to smartphones, smart rings, smart cars, and more robotic arms than any cat would be comfortable with. The event, called Dreame Next 2026, leaned heavily on spectacle and vaporware. While there were some actual launches in the vacuuming, air-purifying, personal care, and home appliance categories, the focus was on attention-grabbing concept gadgets.

From a fridge with a robotic arm that puts your groceries away and a robot that folds your laundry to a rocket-powered EV, everywhere you looked was an ambitious new product. RelatedFirst vacuums — then the worldWhat was harder to find were firm details about what was inside these products, when they would launch, or what they would cost. Dreame has grand plans that span from hypercars to humanoids, and at the very least, the event offered a glimpse of what it thinks that could look like.

The Verge sent a photographer to see what was real — and just how many influencers showed up.

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.