Multiple Refunds Paint a Bad Picture for the Humane AI Pin
Humane’s AI Pin is undoubtedly one of the biggest modern tech blunders that the industry has seen in recent years – a while back, tech startup Humane promised a revolutionary AI-powered wearable that would change the way users interact with apps and such. The execution left much to be desired unfortunately, and the device launched to poor critical reception.
A few months later on, it looks like Humane’s troubles aren’t over – new reports indicate that returns from unsatisfied buyers are currently outpacing sales of the device. In fact, between May and August, more AI Pins were returned than purchased, according to reports from the folks over at The Verge.
A source states that only around 8,000 purchased units remained with customers back in June, a number that has most recently dropped closer to 7,000. The report adds that the AI Pin (as well as accessories) have brought in just over $9 million in lifetime sales, although nearly 1,000 purchases were canceled before shipping, with more than $1 million worth of refunds following.
A while back, it was rumored that company founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno are looking to sell the company’s business, offering it for around “$750 million and $1 billion,” which might not be an easy task given the lacklustre reviews on the device. In terms of hardware, the AI Pin included features like a magnetic clip-on design, a gesture-based control system, and a mini projector which displayed the user interface.
Source: The Verge