The Rabbit R1 App Keeps Full Functionality When Used On An Android Phone
So, a few days ago, we talked about the Rabbit R1, a handheld AI assistant device (or whatever it can be called) that costs $200. As soon as it was launched, outlets started to review the device and some started to dig into its code, and in the latter camp, it was discovered that the Rabbit R1 essentially runs on Android and the entire interface is an Android app. This Android app was ripped off the R1 as an APK and installed on an Android phone successfully.
However, after that, the company’s CEO came out to say that the Rabbit R1 uses “very bespoke AOSP and lower level firmware modifications”, which is a fancy way of saying that the hardware is specifically tailored and simply ripping the APK and using it on something that’s not meant for it will mean it can’t be used properly. There were even some system-level permissions that the UI app was meant to be granted.
The hard work from the people at Android Authority exposed that while the permissions were “meant” to be granted, the UI app did not actually need those permissions in order to perform its core functions. That’s not surprising since that core functionality only requires access to the cloud.
They installed the launcher on a stock Android phone and set up the device the same way you’d set up a new Rabbit R1. After that, they were able to use the phone, a Xiaomi 13T Pro, just like a Rabbit R1. They could talk to ChatGPT, play music, record voice notes, and they could even use the Xiaomi’s camera for the R1’s Vision function to identify things.
Sure, they admitted that there were some things that they weren’t able to get to work, but they had nothing to do with what you’re buying the device for, like turning off the Rabbit R1, switching Bluetooth on or off, and connecting to the internet. You might have noticed, these are all things that a phone can already do, and that a fresh Android app would have accounted for.
…And That Bespoke AOSP? Not Very Bespoke
And yeah, the Rabbit CEO made some talk about how the build of Android running on the R1 was “bespoke”, which would give the impression that some very significant modifications were made to it. However, that also doesn’t seem to be the case, though it is technically not untrue.
Yes, Rabbit made some additions, but not enough for the impression they tried to give. They added the R1 launcher app, the AnySoftKeyboard app with custom theming, an app to handle OTA updates, and a custom boot animation, but beyond that, everything was essentially stock. In fact, the AOSP version running on it still has all the standard apps that come with it, even though you can’t even see them.
The Negative Reviews Are Continuing To Fly In
The Humane AI Pin was the subject of a barrage of negative reviews and its compatriot in its new segment, the Rabbit R1, is now receiving the same treatment, unsurprisingly. I don’t get the point of these devices, and maybe there’s a vision for them that we’re just too early to realize, but as far as I know, failure of this scale should not have been a surprise.
