The Sam Altman-backed Humane AI Pin is both interesting and futuristic, but it won’t replace your phone

Ever since the Humane AI Pin was first announced, people have been curious about whether it could replace smartphones one day. The device was also mentioned in Time’s “Best Inventions of 2023” and we finally got to spend some time with it in the work area at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. While we didn’t use it on its own, an extended demo where company representatives talked about all the features and demonstrated most of them gave us a glimpse into the future of mobile devices, but at the same time, we also felt that AI Pin isn’t quite there yet. you’re not ready to replace your smartphone.

The square-shaped device without a screen was designed by ex-Apple employees and is currently available for pre-order in the US for $699 (roughly Rs. 60,000). It’s like an all-in-one device without a screen and attaches to the user’s chest using a magnet. You can interact with the device using hand gestures, and best of all, it has a projector that can display the menu and more on your hands using the company’s Laser Ink Display. The demo looked fantastic, with the Humane employee demonstrating various use cases, such as asking for a specific city and weather conditions. The AI ​​Pin can capture gestures in the air, making it great for practical use.

Another thing we liked was the fact that it supports E-SIM, making it a standalone device. There are many ways in which AI Pin is used, be it to check information about something or to enter texts. The Humane AI Pin can also pair with your smart speakers and play music via Tidal. During the demo, one of the Humane employees showed us various features and added that the AI ​​Pin can translate about 50 languages, which is fantastic.

The small, square-shaped device can hear and respond to the user through tiny speakers. The company currently claims the battery lasts up to five hours. However, the backup can be enhanced with a battery booster accessory.

The attention to detail is very evident such as the presence of a single RGB LED light on the device while attached to the chest which lights up to indicate when the device is functional. If you loved playing with the laser as a child, your love is back. Voice is the main game here, as there’s no touchscreen to interact with – also a central theme of the Humane AI Pin.

In addition to voice, users can also interact using the touchpad on the front. As the name suggests, AI supports the whole package and keeps you on top of everything from your email to text messages to reminders and more.

In the hour or so we spent looking at various demos shown by Humane employees at Qualcomm’s booth at MWC and asking numerous questions related to the AI ​​Pin, there were a few observations that we think are applicable in real-world use. Because the display in your palm is easy to read, tilting and rolling your hand to interact with the display is easy to understand, close your fingers to make a selection, again a simple interaction gesture; the translator is loud considering we were in a large hall and there were ambient noises around. The AI ​​Pin also has a camera that takes a photo by double-tapping the touchpad with two fingers.

Now we come to the million dollar question: Can the Humane AI Pin replace smartphones? No. Imran Chaudhry, president and chairman of Humane, emphasized during a brief conversation with Gadgets 360 that it’s more of a companion device than one that’s meant to replace your smartphone. What the AI ​​Pin can do is minimize your interaction with your smartphone, because you can do so much with the small, square, screenless device with just your voice.

Sam Altman-backed Humane has already revealed its intention to bring AI Pin to India, as confirmed by Moneycontrol. It will be an interesting move because Humane, according to Chaudhary, has received “a huge number of inquiries” from India. While talks are in the early stages, it will be interesting to see how the AI ​​Pin performs when it starts shipping in March 2024.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best flip phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company’s new clamshell-style foldable phone in the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. The Orbital is available at Spotify, Ghana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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