This unique smartphone alternative sold 10,000 units on day 1; check out Rabbit's R1

At CES 2024, a company called Rabbit showcased a unique product. Despite being in a sea of weird-looking products, Rabbit's R1 gained popularity. So much so that the pocket-sized gadget from Rabbit has gone out of stock on day 1 of its sale. The gadget is designed to run your apps for you and has been pitched a smartphone alternative. 

The announcement came via a post from the startup Rabbit on X (previously known as Twitter), where they revealed selling 10,000 units in a single day. The R1 achieved a 20X sales target. The company had plans to sell 500 units a day but ended up getting booked for 10,000 units on day 1. The R1 has been priced at $199 (Roughly Rs 16,500) in US.

The Rabbit R1 is like a phone but the main interaction you have with the device is not through its tiny screen but via voice commands. The device gets a dedicated squishy button to evoke the voice assistant. It will use the apps stored on the device to fulfill some basic commands such as making a call, booking a cab, sending a text and more. 

When we started building r1, we said internally that we'd be happy if we sold 500 devices on launch day. In 24 hours, we already beat that by 20x!

10,000 units on day 1!

Second batch available now at https://t.co/R3sOtVWoJ5
Expected delivery date is April - May 2024. pic.twitter.com/XqaHqqk36L

— rabbit inc. (@rabbit_hmi) January 10, 2024

The Rabbit R1 features a small 2.88-inch touchscreen running on Rabbit OS, and uses a 'Large Action Model' that acts as a universal controller for apps. This enables it to perform tasks like playing music, purchasing groceries, and sending messages through a single interface, without the need for a phone. For connectivity, it also has a SIM slot that can access 4G internet speeds. 

The device also allows users to train it on how to interact with specific apps. Despite the first batch being sold out, pre-orders for the R1 device are still available on Rabbit's website, with an expected delivery date between April and May 2024. Orders placed before the first batch sold out are expected to start shipping in March. 

Also read: CES 2024: Hyundai unveils prototype of new electric air taxi, says will fly passengers in four years

Also read: CES 2024: After smart speakers, it’s time for smart toilet seats that can understand voice commands