Rabbit denies claims that its R1 virtual assistant is a glorified Android app

The Rabbit R1, a pocket-sized AI digital assistant system, runs Android below the hood and is powered by a single app, in accordance with Android Authority. Apparently, the publication was in a position to set up the R1 APK on a Pixel 6a and made it run as if it have been the $199 gadget, bobbing bunny head on the display screen and all. If you have already got a cellphone and are not fairly intrigued by specialised units or eager on being an early adopter, you in all probability did not see advantage in getting the R1 (or its competitor, the Humane AI Pin) within the first place. However this data might make you query the system’s function much more. Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu, nevertheless, denied that the corporate’s product might’ve simply been launched an Android app.

In an announcement despatched to Android Authority, Lyu stated: “rabbit r1 is just not an Android app.” He added that the corporate is conscious that there are “unofficial rabbit OS app/web site emulators on the market” and is discouraging their use. “We perceive the fervour that folks should get a style of our AI and LAM as a substitute of ready for his or her r1 to reach,” he continued. “That being stated, to clear any misunderstanding and set the file straight, rabbit OS and LAM run on the cloud with very bespoke AOSP and decrease stage firmware modifications, subsequently a neighborhood bootleg APK with out the correct OS and Cloud endpoints gained’t have the ability to entry our service. rabbit OS is personalized for r1 and we don’t assist third-party purchasers. Utilizing a bootlegged APK or webclient carries vital dangers; malicious actors are recognized to publish bootlegged apps that steal your knowledge. Because of this, we advocate that customers keep away from these bootlegged rabbit OS apps.”

Android Authority admitted that Spotify integration and different options in all probability would not work when the R1 is put in on a cellphone, as a result of it was created to run on the corporate’s specialised firmware. Nonetheless, it promised a follow-up story delving deeper into the topic.

The R1 has the aptitude to ebook you an Uber, discover you titles to songs caught in your mind or search for recipes that may incorporate elements you have got in your fridge, amongst different issues a digital assistant or an AI chatbot can do. When Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu introduced the R1 at CES 2024, he demonstrated how it may be educated to do a wide range of different duties when he taught it to generate a picture utilizing Midjourney. Engadget Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low found it more fun and accessible than the $700 Humane AI Pin, however she stays skeptical concerning the usefulness of AI units general. It might nonetheless be too early to inform whether or not they have the potential to grow to be a must have product in your each day life or the high-tech equal of single-use kitchen instruments. We’re already within the midst of testing the R1 and can publish a evaluate quickly that will help you determine if it is price giving the product class an opportunity.