It turns out that Rabbit R1 was just an Android app all along

Since its unveiling at CES 2024the R1 artificial intelligence gadget from Rabbit has raised a lot of questions, starting with «Why isn’t it just an app? ». Well, friends, because it is an app.

Well, that’s because it is an app.

On the Android Authority website, Mishaal Rahman managed to download the Rabbit APK on the Google Pixel 6A. With a little bit of work, he was able to launch the app as if it was on Rabbit’s own device. Using the volume up key instead of the R1’s single hardware button, he was able to create an account and start asking it questions as if he were using a $199 R1.

He was able to create an account and start asking it questions as if he were using a $199 R1.

Rahman notes that the app probably doesn’t have all the same features as R1. He says: «the Rabbit R1 app must be pre-installed in firmware and have several system-level permissions —only some of which we were able to provide —so some features probably won’t work if we try to do that». But the fact that the program works on a mid-range phone from nearly two years ago suggests that it has more in common with a typical Android app than not.

So far, the program has a lot more in common with a typical Android app.

Rabbit founder and CEO Jesse Liu disagrees with that characterization. He made a lengthy statement, which we’ve partially quoted below — it was also posted on Rabbit’s X account if you’d like to read it in full.

Rabbit R1 is not an Android app… Rabbit OS and LAM run in the cloud with very specific modifications to AOSP and lower level firmware, so a local APK without the appropriate OS and cloud endpoints will not be able to access our service. Rabbit OS is customized for R1, and we do not support third-party clients».

Rabbit CEO Jesse Liu

R1 isn’t alone: the AI Pin Humane seems to be running an open-source version of Android, too. But it is the R1 that is now in the spotlight as the first reviews have started to appear — and they are not very good. Earlier today, Rabbit released its first software update to address some of the complaints, including a rapidly draining battery. That issue seems to be better addressed after the update; after downloading the update this morning, the R1’s battery performance in standby mode improved significantly.

After downloading the update this morning, the R1’s battery performance improved significantly.

But the bigger problem is that the R1 just doesn’t do enough useful things to justify its existence when, you know, phones exist. It seems like this artificial intelligence gadget could really just be an app, after all.

An artificial intelligence gadget, after all.