Microsoft Zune, the Apple Newton, and the Amazon Fire Phone have one thing in common — they all made the technology product flop list. And it appears that there’s a new entrant about to join the list: the Humane AI Pin.
According to The New York Times, only 10,000 units of the heavily criticized $699 AI gadget have been sold since it was released earlier this year. The company’s target was 100,000. The result? Rumors say the Humane team is trying to sell its business to HP for a grand total of $1 billion.
The Humane AI Pin is a wearable “ambient” computer designed to be attached to clothes with a magnet. It offers users a virtual assistant to answer questions and provide smart filtering based on the wearer’s preferences. Due to its hands-free interaction, the Humane AI Pin was intended to eventually replace smartphones.
That probably isn’t going to happen.
Upon its release, the Humane AI Pin received mostly bad reviews. In May, the first news leaked that the company behind the product was hoping to be sold. Then, on Wednesday, Humane told its AI Pin device owners to stop using its charging case “immediately” because it “may pose a fire safety risk.”
The latest report indicates that Humane is in discussions with multiple companies, not just HP, regarding a potential acquisition. These discussions have been ongoing since the initial reviews were released.
Despite all this doom and gloom, the creators behind the Humane AI Pin remain positive, although they won’t comment on any possible sale.
Former Apple employees Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri reiterated their unwavering commitment to their vision for the AI Pin. However, they also candidly acknowledged the difference between testing and using a device.
According to Bongiorno: “You don’t know everything before you launch.” Chaudhri added: “They definitely wish that we were able to resolve some of those things a little bit differently.”
