Dear Studio Fam,
This week we bring you some not surprising insight into the guts of the Rabbit R1 AI device and look at how internet service is getting more expensive for many Americans. There is also a funding announcement for a major player in the autonomous vehicle industry you might not have ever heard of and good news for educational content creators looking to expand their mobile presence. Finally, there is some bad news for Peloton fans that raises serious questions about the viability of the smart fitness company.
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Rabbit R1 Revealed To Just Be An Android Phone
As we previously reported, the first wave of dedicated AI devices have not fared well. The Humane AI pin doesn’t work, and the Rabbit R1 was generally met with the question, “Why isn’t this just an app?” As it turns out, that is exactly what it is: an Android app running on an open source version of Android, reports Android Authority. Citing instructions from a “tipster,” Android Authority was able to deploy the R1’s APK onto a Pixel device and get most of its features to work.
AT&T Calls Price Hikes Anything But
AT&T wireless and home internet customers are set to see higher bills soon, though AT&T is not keen to admit it. In the last month, AT&T Wireless announced a $7/month fee for “turbo 5G” speeds, essentially requiring users of its “unlimited” plans to pay more to avoid being throttled. At the same time, AT&T Home Internet announced across the board price hikes in tandem with a larger autopay bill discount, essentially canceling the discount existing autopay customers already enjoyed.
Hyundai Buys Motional Self Driving for $925M
Hyundai Motors committed $925 million to become the majority owner of self-driving technology company Motional. In a two part deal, Hyundai agreed to buy out Motional’s largest shareholder Aptiv for $425 million and invest another $448 million directly into Motional. The new cash will be used to continue Motional’s strategy of licensing technology for use in third party taxi companies like Uber.
Kajabi Course Maker Launches Mobile App Builder
Kajabi, the maker of tools for content creators to sell online courses, launched its first low-code app builder to bring its users 300,000 courses directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For as little as $89 per month, existing Kajabi instructors can instantly port their web-based courses into hybrid mobile apps. The move positions Kajabi to compete directly with larger low-code development platforms like Bubble and extend its core product offering to experiences beyond online instruction.
Peloton Lays Off 400 Staff, CEO Resigns
Smart exercise equipment maker Peloton continued its slide with the announcement of layoffs and the departure of its latest CEO Barry McCarthy. The company announced the cost cuts after revealing its subscriber base is down 21% year-over-year, which led to a slight increase in the company’s stock price. However Peloton’s market cap is still 80% below its 2019 IPO price and the company announced no replacement for McCarthy.