Emerging Alternatives: 4 Innovative Tech Devices Aiming to Supersede Smartphones

Key Takeaways

• AI Pin Wearables: A device pinned to your clothing that connects you to ChatGPT, allowing communication and projection of information.
• AR Headsets: AR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3 can create virtual screens and be controlled through voice or hand gestures.
• Video Smartglasses: While video smartglasses still require a smartphone, they offer a potential replacement for smartphones when combined with a screenless smartphone box.

It’s hard to imagine living without smartphones, but the truth is these almost magical devices haven’t been with us long, and came to dominance overnight. So it’s not that weird to think that some other type of device might one day muscle in and try to replace the job. Here are a few contenders.

AI Pin Wearables

Humane

Humane AI is a startup thats came up with a device that pins to your clothing, and gives you a direct line to ChatGPT. Since ChatGPT can now see and hear, you can communicate with it and show it things using the pin’s onboard camera. The device also contains a laser projector that can show you information or options by projecting onto your hand or against a wall.

Humane

Showing media controls from the Laser Ink Display on a hand

You could also think of it as a disembodied robot head that you’ve pinned to your shirt to help you make phone calls and do the shopping, but it’s probably best that Human’s marketing department didn’t go in that direction.

This type of wearable could theoretically replace most of what people use their smartphones for, but of course the major issue is that it’s hard to use a device like this privately, since everyone can hear your conversation with your virtual pal who’s fun to be with . Perhaps by combining this technology with that MIT gadget that lets you speak silently it could be a practical solution.

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AR Headsets

Tyler / How-To Geek

Whether it’s the Apple Vision Pro , the Meta Quest Pro, or the much more affordable Meta Quest 3 , AR headsets are now definitely a thing now. By wearing one of these headsets you can conjure as many virtual screens as you like, and you can either speak out loud to control the mixed reality world, or use your hands to manipulate virtual buttons. Of course, this makes you look just as ridiculous as when using VR to other people However, unlike playing a VR game, these headsets could only replace smartphones if they’re used in public. Well, there was a time when wearing a Buetooth earpiece was seen as the height of cringe, so perhaps in future everyone walking around like extras from Ghost In the Shell will be perfectly normal.

Video Smartglasses

Justin Duino / How-To Geek

You’d be right to point out that the latest generation of video smartglasses can’t replace smartphones, because they have to be plugged into a smartphone’s USB-C port to be of any use. While that may be true, they still let you keep your phone in your pocket and fool everyone into thinking that you have terrible eyesight and thus need an enormous pair of glasses. Video glasses technology could be combined with a type of screenless smartphone box in our pocket, so at the very least it’s part of a potential replacement for smartphone as we know them.

Smartwatches?

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Smartwatches are by definition a smartphone accessory, but in many case if you left your phone at home you could probably do most of your smartphone stuff on your smartwatch. An Apple Watch Ultra is basically a wrist-worn smartphone sans camera. Unless you need the large screens of today’s typical smartphone, a smartwatch might actually be a viable way to give you 90% of what phones do in a more seamless and natural package.

Apple Watch Ultra

The Apple Watch Ultra is the most rugged in Apple’s lineup of smartwatches, featuring a large display and an Action button to launch apps and activities quickly.

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With smartphones all converging on the same sort of oblong screen shape that does everything pretty well, it would be nice to see more off-the-wall attempts at finding new ways to do the things that smartphones already do. Who knows, the next thing absolutely everyone buys and can’t imagine life without may be just around the corner. And no, it’s not .

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