Summary
- The Rabbit R1 faced backlash for running AOSP, proving that perhaps it didn’t need to be a real device.
- Android expert Mishaal Rahman ran the R1 launcher on a Xiaomi phone, showcasing its features including Vision capabilities.
- The R1 manufacturer’s claim that it was using a unique AOSP build has once again been refuted, with evidence showing minimal changes from the original AOSP frame.
The past few months have been difficult for AI startups that want to succeed. The Humane AI pin failed to strike a chord (to put it mildly) and, more recently, the Rabbit R1 has been the target of brutal criticism. However, the latter also fought a battle on another front, mainly spurred by Android expert Mishaal Rahman’s revelation that the Rabbit R1 runs AOSP out of the box, meaning it would have everything might as well have been an application rather than a piece of software. material that costs $200. The manufacturers responded to this report by claiming that the R1 operated at “Very tailor-made AOSP“, among other changes. This claim has also been refuted.
What is the Rabbit R1? The AI phone without apps explained
And why is the Internet going crazy about it?
In a detailed follow-up report for Android Authority, Rahman explains how, working with five inverter engineers, he installed the R1 launcher on an unrooted Xiaomi 13T Pro. Rahman runs the device setup process as if it were the Rabbit R1, including the ability to select a network and set passcodes, all while using the phone’s power button as a button push-to-talk (PTT) of the R1.
Rahman starts by asking a few general questions, which the R1 launcher app answers as it would on the R1. We even get a glimpse of the much-publicized Vision feature, which leverages the camera and ChatGPT to identify objects in its view. The smartphone also passes this test quite comfortably, while Rahman could also ask Spotify to play music using a command, illustrating once again that the R1 never really needed to be a real device.
Not many changes in the AOSP version
Part of Rabbit’s defense after Rahman’s initial discovery was to allege that an “unofficial Rabbit OS app/website emulator” was used to replicate the process. However, Rahman notes that this R1 Launcher APK comes from the R1, and not through any other means.
Source: Android Authority
Rahman and the team also managed to take a look at the R1’s firmware during this ordeal, revealing a rather unchanged version of the AOSP save for a few inclusions. This includes the R1 launcher, an OTA updater app, and other apps/services deemed essential to the operation of the R1.
As seen in the image above, Rahman’s activity using this makeshift R1 was recorded by Rabbithole, the company’s “all-in-one web portal.” This entire episode reiterates the idea that the R1 could have simply been a mobile app, rather than being marketed as a $200 device with special AI capabilities.
