Our phones are great at many things, like snapping vacation photos, entertaining us with an endless stream of bite-size videos and acting as our personal planners. But that’s actually problematic, according to Jesse Lyu, founder and CEO of AI tech startup Rabbit.
He thinks the myriad apps and functions available on our phones have stripped away their simplicity, and he’s trying to change that with a new gadget called the R1.
The R1, unveiled at CES 2024, is a mobile device designed with a unique approach. Unlike traditional smartphones, it doesn’t run apps in the conventional sense.
Instead, users activate functions by pressing a physical push-to-talk button, similar to using a walkie-talkie, to make requests and perform tasks. The phone lacks typical apps, and its software relies on a substantial action model or algorithm. This algorithm learns from how users interact with apps and interfaces, allowing it to replicate and automate those processes. Lyu, the creator, compares the experience to handing your phone to a friend to order takeout on your behalf. The R1 is set to be available in late March at a price of $199.
There’s no shortage of virtual assistants capable of doing almost exactly what Rabbit’s R1 claims to do. Google and Amazon are also injecting their own virtual helpers with generative AI smarts to make them even better at handling complex requests more easily. Our phones are great
But Lyu sees the need for a purpose-built device for getting things done that’s separate from your phone and therefore less distracting. He argues that just because your phone can do the same thing doesn’t mean it’s the superior experience.