There are more and more candidates to replace the smartphone. The question is whether anyone can do it.

What comes after the mobile phone? Few devices have made such an impact that they have become almost an extension of ourselves like the smartphone. Not to mention any.

Never before has a gadget occupied such an important place that it feels strange to leave the house without it. Smartphones today are comparable to clothing because of the space they occupy in terms of materiality.. Its position as alien to the body of such an important element is comparable only to the crucifix that hung around the neck of a Catholic many centuries ago.

But, Will we ever stop using them? And the question is: what will replace it? Because it seems clear that we are not going to give up the conveniences and functions that it has already given us.

In the novel and series Altered carbonSet in a dystopian 24th century where human memories can be stored and “refilled” in new bodies, characters interact with notifications and artificial intelligence assistants through contact lenses.

IN Spaceanother sci-fi saga, using a kind of methacrylate that is still a great mobile device.

The end of 2023 and especially this 2024 seems to have brought the first wave of gadgets that not only seek to complement, but it is unknown whether they will seek to replace the mobile phone at any point in time. This is an overview of these proposals.

Humane’s Pin: many expectations, even more doubts

After generating a lot of buzz around its presentation, Humane, a tech startup led by a pair of former Apple employees, unveiled a proposal in November that was certainly different, but left more questions than certainties.

His idea is a smart pin connected to an artificial intelligence assistant. (provided by OpenAI) and costs $699. A device that attaches to clothing using a magnet that remains at the height of our chest and allows us to interact with it by voice and gestures, using a laser projector that provides a graphical interface in the palm of the user. user. But his proposal goes further.

Humane’s co-founders and prominent faces are Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhry, two former high-ranking Apple employees (and a couple in between) who began launching Humane as startups in 2019. offering this to Silicon Valley investors.

Humane has since raised $230 million, including investors such as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Thanks to this, their staff was able to grow to 200 employees.

Their approach offers a new approach to interacting with technology, promoting screenless and voice-based experiences. That’s not to say that it’s not a bold attempt to free up our screens and that it doesn’t have a powerful narrative, but early tests after it went on sale in the US left those who were able to try it a little cold.

Rabbit R1: AI in your pocket

The Rabbit R1 is an innovative (and perhaps strange) AI-powered gadget that has attracted attention for its unique capabilities. About half the size of the iPhone, with a 2.88-inch touchscreen and a rotating camera, the device represents a new wave of AI-powered hardware that aims to make technology easier for users to interact with.

Unlike traditional gadgets that simply connect to chatbots, Rabbit R1 works like a super app.offering a single interface for various tasks.

The key feature of the Rabbit R1 is its Rabbit operating system, which allows the device to control music, call a ride, buy groceries, send messages and more through a single interface. The device runs on a Large Action Model (LAM) trained to interact with apps like Spotify and Uber, allowing it to learn and replicate actions across apps.

The artificial intelligence at the heart of Rabbit R1 is based on the Rabbit OS language model (LAM).. This component, LAM, acts as a connector that allows the device to go beyond simply answering questions like regular chatbots do. While chatbots can provide options and answers, Rabbit R1, thanks to its LAM, has the ability to act on those answers.

For example, if you are asked to find vacation itineraries, make restaurant reservations, or buy airline tickets, Rabbit R1 can perform these actions directly without requiring the user to interact with the relevant applications. Or at least that’s what it promises.

Behind Rabbit R1 is Jesse Liu., founder and CEO of Rabbit, the artificial intelligence technology company responsible for the development of this innovative device. Prior to his collaboration with Rabbit and the creation of Rabbit R1, Jesse Liu worked in the field of technology and artificial intelligence, with a focus on innovation and developing cutting-edge solutions in this field.

Their concept for the Rabbit R1 is to create an autonomous AI device that can simplify everyday interactions and redefine the way people interact with digital technology.

As we can see, despite the video calling capabilities and the presence of a SIM card slot, the Rabbit R1 is primarily a voice assistant with additional features such as a screen and camera.

Its success was obvious for a gadget of this level: 10,000 units were sold on the first day. and creating significant market demand for smart and user-friendly devices. Priced at $199 and currently only available in English, the gadget is an interesting leap from a possible mobile phone successor, although we shouldn’t overlook the limitation of its small screen and the fact that it doesn’t push the envelope. activities (pocket and the need to carry it with you) that phones now occupy.

Bet by Sam Altman, Jonathan Ive and Softbank CEO

According to some reports, Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, is working on the project. along with legendary former Apple designer Jonathan Ive and Masayoshi Son, CEO of Softbankto develop a device that will replace the mobile phone, offering the benefits of artificial intelligence.

Altman had to participate in conversations and meetings brainstorm with Ive to implement this project, the goal of which is to offer the user a more natural and intuitive interface for interacting with AI. In addition, Altman invested in Humane. This joint project between Altman, Ive and Son is in its early stages, and some of the device ideas are still far from concrete.

The exact shape of the device has not yet been disclosed. in development by Sam Altman, Jonathan Ive and Masayoshi Son to replace mobile devices. However, it has been mentioned that this new device will be designed without a screen, suggesting a radically different approach to conventional mobile devices. There are suggestions that it could take a more ergonomic shape and focus on interaction through artificial intelligence in a more immersive and natural way, but this is all speculation.

Magic Leap: A Real Risky Bet

Magic Leap is an American technology company known for its commitment to augmented reality, whose latest flagship gadget is the Magic Leap One.

This device consists of a head-mounted display that displays computer-generated virtual 3D images of real-world objects.

It uses proprietary technology to achieve a nearly seamless integration between the real and the virtual, allowing users to interact with digital content in their physical environment. Magic Leap One uses gesture control and the lightweight LuminOS operating system to project virtual images. and offer immersive experiences such as games, productivity apps and multimedia content.

While the company has received significant funding and raised expectations for the future of mixed reality, it is also facing challenges. business and financial problemsbeing forced to refocus on the business market and reduce costs due to difficulties in achieving mass sales.

Samsung and Xiaomi rings (and subsequent ones)

Innovating in the wearables space, Samsung and Xiaomi have unveiled smart rings that promise to change the way we interact with technology. Although the concept of a smart ring has already been presented by brands such as Ourathe emergence of large companies (and rumors that Apple is also on the agenda) is taking it to a new level.

Galaxy Ring was already presented at MWC. For its part, Xiaomi also presented its analogue.

All in all, smart rings offer many functions, such as health tracking, storing important information and the ability to control other devices. The Oura ring, one of the leading examples in the sector, promises millimeter-precision health monitoring and a long-lasting battery.

But the question is this: Will we move to something equally minimalistic and screenless or will it be a new addition?

Apple, Vision Pro and Apple Watch?

We can’t help but mention the device of the year and a device that has already entered the daily lives of so many people. Apple’s Vision Pro and augmented reality headsets in general seem a long way from replacing mobile phones, but perhaps a distant evolution of this spatial computing offering could be a candidate.

For its part, the Apple Watch and smartwatches in general still continue to be complementary, but for comfort and a certain minimalism (a trend we see in most candidates) they also need to be taken into account.

Always at the forefront of technological innovation, Apple continues to explore new horizons with devices such as Apple Vision Pro and Apple Watch. These devices not only strengthen Apple’s position in the wearables market, but also point to possible future directions in the evolution of mobile devices, increasingly integrating artificial intelligence and augmented reality capabilities to create deeply immersive and personalized user experiences.

It seems that the smartphone still has a few years of life left, but it cannot be denied that for the first time in a long time it has competitors. Will these new gadgets dethrone the ubiquitous mobile phone? Time will show. What is certain is that, after a long time, we seem to be on the threshold of a new era of technological innovation that promises to redefine our relationship with digital devices, and with it, our daily lives.

Convergence Artificial intelligence, advanced wearable technology, and new user interfaces are paving the way for a future where technology can become more fused with the human experience. in ways we have only begun to imagine.