Silicon Valley startup Humane has unveiled a new voice-controlled device called the AI Pin that it claims will “replace your smartphone.” But without an app ecosystem, required monthly fees, and a constantly filming chest camera, the product raises a lot of concerns.
Shaped like an oversized pager from the 1990s, the Humane AI Pin is a rectangular aluminum box that measures about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 0.5 inch thick. It has a smooth, rounded design with no external buttons other than a single circular front button to activate the voice assistant.
The device does not contain a traditional display screen. Instead, it uses a 720p laser projector to display a minimalist user interface in the palm of your hand or other surface when held close. The light blue monochrome graphics resemble a simplified smartwatch interface and provide basic information such as time, weather, notifications and multimedia controls.
Without a touchscreen, all interaction occurs via voice commands detected by four microphones and hand gestures tracked by the built-in 13MP camera. A double tap with your thumb and index finger serves as a virtual touch to select on-screen options. The lack of a display means you’ll rely on two flashing LED lights and voice prompts from the speaker to provide status updates.
This unconventional approach aims to reduce distractions by eliminating the compulsion to constantly stare at a bright, scrolling screen. However, it is still unclear whether the limited projected interface and gesture controls will provide an intuitive experience compared to simply tapping a touchscreen.
Advanced voice capabilities, but no apps
Humane AI Pin leverages natural language processing technology from AI research companies Anthropic and OpenAI to enable robust voice interactions. You can give complex commands to search for information online, dictate messages, request summaries of notifications and unread emails, and more.
However, its biggest limitation is the lack of support for third-party applications. It is restricted only to services and platforms that Humane has explicitly integrated into the device. For example, music can only be played from Tidal, which has only a 2% market share compared to leaders like Spotify and Apple Music.
Without access to popular apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and many others, the AI Pin’s capabilities will be incredibly limited compared to mainstream mobile devices. This closed ecosystem approach has failed many times in the history of consumer technology. Without an app store or SDK for developers, AI Pin will likely struggle to attract users who are accustomed to the open ecosystems of iOS and Android.
Humane’s website displays logos for Slack, Microsoft, and Google, suggesting that integrations may be possible in the future. But at launch, the inability to run third-party apps could be a deal-breaker for many potential buyers.
You’re always filming with the chest camera.
Like Google Glass before it, one of the most controversial aspects of the Humane AI Pin is its 13MP front camera. The device is designed to be worn on a shirt or lapel using a magnetic clip, placing the camera at chest level. This means that you will be constantly filming strangers in public during their daily lives, raising significant privacy concerns.
A small LED “confidence light” is intended to indicate when the camera is actively recording video. But that does not reassure passersby who have not consented to being filmed by a device pointed at them. Services like Google Maps blur faces for Street View; The AI Pin does not attempt to preserve privacy.
Humane says the camera is necessary for functions like reading QR codes, identifying objects held in your hand, and tracking gestures. But continuous filming, regardless of context, remains a central issue that could repel many potential buyers.
Monthly fee for cellular connectivity
The Humane AI Pin requires a subscription to the “AI Plan” which costs $24 per month to enable many key features. This provides LTE data connectivity over the T-Mobile network. Without this paid subscription, the device’s functionality will be extremely limited, even when connected to Wi-Fi.
This ongoing cost seems difficult to justify for what is positioned simply as a voice assistant device, similar to an Amazon Echo or Google Nest device. However, those products depend on being continuously connected to power. The cellular subscription is likely necessary to offset the fees Humane pays partners for cloud processing of voice commands and AI functions.
But consumers will question paying another monthly bill for such limited hardware. And the AI Pin won’t work at all without the subscription, while smartphones can still perform many offline functions without mobile data.
It’s hard to justify the $700 price tag.
With its mid-range Qualcomm processor, paltry 4GB of RAM, lack of a proper display, and limited use cases, it’s unclear how Humane justifies the AI Pin’s hefty $700 retail price.
By comparison, affordable smartwatches from Apple, Samsung and others already exceed their capabilities in many aspects and cost hundreds of times less. Even premium wearables typically top out at $500 and feature advanced health sensors, 5G, and full app platforms.
The laser projection technology of the AI Pin is certainly innovative. But is the always-on camera, required subscription, lack of apps, and extremely high price worth having a monochrome screen in the palm of your hand? For most consumers, it seems unlikely that AI Pin will replace their smartphone in any meaningful way or even complement it as effectively as a smartwatch or headphones.
Too many compromises to replace a smartphone
While Humane positions the AI Pin as a revolutionary device that can replace your smartphone, it actually forces you to make too many compromises compared to iOS and Android devices. No matter how good its voice assistant is, the lack of a screen, apps, camera controls, and an open ecosystem make it an ineffective smartphone replacement for many situations.
Sure, it allows hands-free access to information through voice. But so are affordable wireless headphones with built-in voice assistants. And those devices don’t constantly film their surroundings, lack core apps, or require an ongoing subscription.
For specific use cases, like quickly getting spoken summaries of messages, AI Pin shows promise. However, as a holistic alternative to smartphones, its limitations suggest it will join the ranks of failed “iPhone killers” that never caught on with mainstream consumers.
Unless Humane quickly evolves the product before launch, the AI Pin appears destined to occupy a niche device market rather than the revolutionary role it aspires to. For all its intriguing technology, the device in its current form asks users to make too many compromises compared to existing alternatives.
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Categories: Technology
Source: vtt.edu.vn