Why Humane is telling users to stop using the AI Pin charging case
Startup Humane Inc. has advised users to stop using the charging case for its Ai Pin device due to the risk of fire, adding further uncertainty to the product’s troubled launch.
The company told owners of the device that it had identified a “quality issue” with the battery inside the case, which allows users to charge their Ai Pins on the go. Humane said it launched an investigation after receiving a single report of charging issues with the device, which launched earlier this year.
The problem is the latest setback for Humane, a high-profile startup that wanted to build an alternative to smartphones. Since its launch in April, the Ai Pin has been criticized by customers and reviewers for its cumbersome interface and lack of features. After a rocky launch, the startup reached out to major tech companies and consulting firms in hopes of selling itself for hundreds of millions of dollars, Bloomberg reported.
The charging case, which works similarly to an AirPods case, is included in the package when a user purchases the Ai Pin for $699 and up. It was also sold as a standalone accessory for $149. The part is now marked as “out of stock” on Humane’s website.
“Our investigation has determined that the battery supplier no longer meets our quality standards and that there is a possibility that certain battery cells supplied by this supplier pose a fire safety risk,” the company said in a statement posted on its website Wednesday. “As a result, we have immediately disqualified this battery supplier while we work to identify a new supplier to prevent such issues and maintain our high quality standards.”
According to Humane, users can continue to charge the device using the included home charging station. The company did not say whether it would replace Ai Pin owners’ charging cases or how long it would take to find a replacement supplier. It is giving Ai Pin owners two free months of the required monthly subscription in light of the issue.
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