Since its recent debut, Rabbit's R1 AI device has sparked numerous inquiries, the foremost being, "Why isn't this simply an app?" Well, dear readers, that's precisely what it is—an app.
Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority successfully downloaded Rabbit's launcher APK onto a Google Pixel 6A. With some adjustments, he managed to operate the app as if it were on Rabbit's proprietary device. By utilizing the volume-up key as a substitute for the R1's singular hardware button, he initiated account setup and commenced posing queries, mirroring the $199 R1 experience. Quite the revelation.
Rahman acknowledges that the app likely lacks certain functionalities present in the R1. As he puts it, "the Rabbit R1's launcher app is meant to be preinstalled in the firmware and be granted several privileged, system-level permissions—only some of which we were able to grant—so some of the functions would likely fail if we tried." Nevertheless, the software's compatibility with a midrange phone from nearly two years ago suggests a closer resemblance to a standard Android app than anticipated.
However, Rabbit's founder and CEO, Jesse Lyu, disputes this assessment. In a comprehensive statement provided to The Verge, partially quoted below, he refutes the notion that the R1 is akin to an Android app:
"rabbit r1 is not an Android app... rabbit OS and LAM run on the cloud with very bespoke AOSP and lower level firmware modifications, therefore a local bootleg APK without the proper OS and Cloud endpoints won’t be able to access our service. rabbit OS is customized for r1 and we do not support third-party clients."
While the R1 is not alone in utilizing a version of Android's open-source software (Humane's AI pin follows suit), it currently faces scrutiny as initial reviews surface—and they're far from favorable. Rabbit rolled out its first software update today to address various complaints, including rapid battery drainage. Post-update, this issue appears to be better managed; idle battery performance notably improved after installing the update this morning.
Nonetheless, the overarching concern remains that the R1 fails to deliver sufficiently compelling features to justify its existence when smartphones already offer comparable functionalities. It seems this AI gadget could have indeed functioned adequately as a standalone app.
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