Hon Hai chairman Terry Guo recently announced Foxconn will adopt one million robots to replace low-tier workforce in the next three years, with Foxconn to use robots for simple, repetitive jobs without layoffs, reports Chinese media.

Foxconn names the robots 'Foxbot,' whose prototype - Foxcomm Shenzhen No.1 - was debuted in October 2006 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

The robots will mainly do coating, welding and assembling rather than polishing iPhone cellphone cases, which heavily rely on seasoned workers. Foxconn currently uses 10,000 robots.

Without buying from outside sources, Foxconn's SHZBG (Super Precision Mechanical Business Group) in Shenzhen will develop the robots backed by expertise in advanced precision mold design and fabrication, control system development, optoelectronics and communication technologies, and plastics and metal surface treatment technologies.

Tapping economy of scale, Foxconn can keep production cost for each robot to under 100,000 renminbi.