The resurgence of artificial intelligence has sparked a new wave of hardware innovation. However, some high-profile AI hardware products have faced harsh criticism. For instance, AI Pin was rated by MKBHD as the worst product he's ever reviewed, and The Verge's editors also advised against purchasing it. Rabbit R1 similarly faced skepticism, being viewed as a $200 hardware device that merely does the job of an app.
Although many see AI hardware innovation as an opportunity to disrupt the smartphone era, there's still no consensus on "what constitutes AI hardware in the age of large language models." Against this backdrop, the AI earphones Iyo One from Iyo company made their debut at the TED conference.
Iyo One is described as an "audio computer" rather than just earphones. It integrates various computer components, including CPU, memory, flash storage, etc., and can operate independently without a smartphone. Iyo One's main functions include noise cancellation, real-time translation, etc., operated through a completely natural language-based interface. Additionally, it can create an "audio mixed reality" experience.
However, Iyo One also faces some challenges. Its battery life is only 1.5 hours in standalone mode. The starting price of $599 also means it's not a product aimed at the mass market.
For AI hardware, some basic guidelines include:
- Should be more lightweight than smartphones
- More accessible and interactive with the environment
- Solve problems that smartphones can't
From these perspectives, Iyo One seems to fit the concept of AI hardware better than AI Pin. Some successful cases have already emerged in the market, such as the AI voice recorder OLAUD NOTE and the smart glasses collaboration between Meta and Ray-Ban.
For Iyo's founder Rugolo, selling tens of thousands of units would already be a success, as it would mean the product can solve problems and gain market acceptance.