Rabbit R1, a portable virtual assistant with artificial intelligence (AI), is actually an Android app. Reporter Mishaal Rahman, from the website Android Authority, dismantled the device and managed to download the assistant in APK format on a Google Pixel 6A. So, he shared his experience on X, formerly Twitter.
At first, the application didn’t work as expected, but with some adjustments he was able to start it normally as if the Pixel 6A was a Rabbit R1, only on a much larger screen. To interact with the AI, Rahman used the volume button as a replacement for the handheld AI’s physical button.
However, the app is not as complete as pocket AI. Rahman points out that the program may not have all the functions that the accessory has, mainly due to the difference in structure (camera activation mechanism and absence of the navigation wheel).
According to Rahman, the app is apparently prepared to be pre-installed in the device’s firmware — which makes installation on the cell phone more complex. When installed at this depth level, the application receives a variety of system privileges necessary to enable smooth interactions with the assistant.
In any case, the discovery that the Rabbit R1 runs an Android application not a good sign for the virtual assistant, especially after the criticism published in reviews from major channels. YouTuber Marques Brownlee, from the MKBHD channel, even said that the device is not ready for launch, with many missing functions and features that, in practice, every cell phone offers (and with more advantages).
In contrast, the Rabbit CEO and founder Jesse Lyu defended the product itself in a statement sent to The Verge. “Rabbit R1 is not an Android app. Rabbit OS and LAM AI run in the cloud with AOSP [Android Open Source Program] very customized and low-level firmware modifications, therefore, a local pirated APK without the appropriate cloud operating system will not be able to access our service,” Lyu pointed out.
In the same statement, the executive mentions that Rabbit OS is a customized operating system and that there is no support for third-party clients.
