Startup Humane Inc. told users to stop using the charging case for their Ai Pin device due to the risk of fire, adding further uncertainty to the product’s shaky presentation.
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 the Ai Pins on the go. Humane said it launched the investigation after receiving one report of charging problems with the device, which debuted earlier this year.
The issue deals another setback for Humane, a high-profile startup that set out to build a smartphone alternative. Since its launch in April, Ai Pin has been criticized by customers and reviewers for its clunky interface and lack of features. After a troubled launch, the startup contacted major tech companies and consulting firms in hopes of selling itself for several hundred million dollars, Bloomberg reported.
A charging case, which works similarly to an AirPods case, is included in the package when a user purchases an Ai Pin for $699 and up. It is also sold as a standalone add-on for $149. The part is now marked “out of stock” on Humane’s website.
“Our investigation has determined that the battery supplier no longer meets our quality standards and there is a possibility that certain batteries supplied by this supplier may pose a fire hazard,” the company said in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday. “As a result, we have immediately disqualified this battery supplier while we work to identify a new supplier to avoid such problems and maintain our high quality standards.”
Humane said users can continue to charge the device using the included home charging station. The company did not say whether it would replace charging cases belonging to Ai Pin owners 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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