This device conquered CES. They expect it will replace smartphones, but without Apple and others, it likely won't succeed

There is a possibility that the history of new equipment will be created before our eyes. The Rabbit R1 gadget was shown off at CES, and its popularity – at least in the media – is breaking records. This is a completely new category of mobile devices that says “no” to apps and relies on artificial intelligence.

There were cell phones, and now we have smartphones. Almost everyone has a “laptop” in their pocket, which nowadays is the key to almost everything: communicating with friends and loved ones, entertaining, dealing with financial matters (online shopping, BLIK), and since we have mObywatel, even dealing with official matters .

But all this requires a lot of accounts, applications, passwords and email, although many users want to give it up completely. But what about an AI-based device, where the screen is just an add-on? The idea is great, but… without Apple and other tech giants, it won't work.

Rabbit R1 is the equipment that is taking the world of technology by storm. This is what you can do

The Rabbit R1 is a piece of electronics that is the spiritual inspiration for Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant because we operate it with our voice. The device can do a lot of tricks, and we should refer to it as an app controller that does not require physical installation.

The rabbit's equipment can do a lot: it can play music (describe it, answer questions about the song, including who created it, and say your opinion about it), order an Uber that accommodates a specific number of people and extra luggage (as the device will suggest a specific package). And even ordering a pizza without specifying the address, specifying that we want the most popular – the equipment will choose it for us, and we only need to confirm the order.

We can also ask the tool to plan a trip for us (all we have to do is provide the requirements – for example, that we want to travel economy class, we must have access to WiFi at the hotel, and we also want to rent a car) and after twelve A second or so later, we have the options selected by the AI ​​and all we need to do is confirm everything. There is also a tour plan, and if this seems too complicated, you can request a much simpler option.

Although it's just an early version of the device, the Rabbit R1 has an interpreter function with note taker for two-way communication with people who speak other languages. The device also has a camera module and object detection in the frame – you can show what you have in the fridge and ask the device what we can make with it, with a recipe and detailed instructions.

There are many functions, but it all comes back to one thing. Lack of applications and number of solutions needed to control them (email addresses, logins, passwords, accounts). The manufacturer itself claims that this is new generation equipment that will be faster and more intuitive than smartphones with application-based operating systems that have been with us for more than 15 years. You can say that this is a completely different category and is supposed to be something different from a smartphone.

This is a completely new category of device, not a new smartphone

The device has many functions that a regular smartphone cannot do. They also don't need the most powerful processor on the market like the A17 Pro or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which only increases the prices of the phones, as most of us are not able to take full advantage of the capabilities of such systems (yet we still buy the most expensive flagship smartphones). . The Rabbit R1 is powered by a MediaTek processor, has 4GB of RAM, and also has the best LPTO OLED display with the highest brightness, resolution, and refresh rate possible.

The touch screen of this gadget is used to confirm and read the data saved by the artificial intelligence. It all works on a LAM (Large Action Model), which carries out all the user's spoken commands – on the side there's also an analogue button for the push-to-talk function. Unlike modern smartphones, it simply works and looks functional, despite not having the best specs. There is one common interface displayed on a 2.88-inch screen, thanks to which we can run popular applications and services without having to install them on the device.

While ChatGPT can be defined as a new generation search engine, we should look at Rabbit R1 as an interface to run the App Store, without installing it. Of course, there are plenty of arguments that a smartphone can do practically the same thing, and in many cases even better. Smartphones are simply something we have become accustomed to and currently cannot imagine using a device that does not depend on applications installed locally on the device.

This wouldn't work without Apple and other tech giants

Rabbit R1 is something new, but it looks like the history of ChatGPT and Bing Chat, which were to dominate Internet search engines as we know them today, may be repeated. These solutions have found their place, and there are certainly many people today who cannot imagine life and work without using these tools, but in reality, for the average user who is not very interested in technologies, the Google search engine is simply enough.

A similar problem may occur with this device. For the absolute majority of users, their smartphone – either iPhone or Samsung (these two companies completely dominate the global mobile device market) is enough. After all, out of the box, we won't be able to scroll endlessly on TikTok, discover new topics on Twitter (i.e. X), watch Netflix or YouTube, pay quickly and easily with BLIK, or chat with friends. . Via FaceTime or Discord. People's customs will not allow this.

Until Apple and other tech giants see an opportunity in this (although I'm particularly looking at Apple), the concept of a device based entirely on AI can't really exist. The price for the Rabbit R1 is $199At this price we can at most buy a mid-range smartphone. Apple's flagship iPhone with the best displays, processors and speakers costs thousands of zlotys, and the tech giant makes huge amounts of money on the margin. This seems unprofitable for Apple, which also supports its huge App Store by investing huge sums in it. App producers also make a lot of money through services and micropayments, so this is simply not favorable for both Apple and other tech giants.

As long as regular smartphones are profitable for tech giants, there is no room in the market for equipment like the Rabbit startup's gadget. If Apple introduced such a device, the situation might be a little different. However, it is the Cupertino giant's secure solutions represented by the iPhone (and competing Android smartphones) that will prevail for years to come.

More about the interesting gadgets on display at CES 2024: