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- Alice in Wonderland: the first headphones with an AI agent were released in Russia
Alice in Wonderland: the first headphones with an AI agent were released in Russia
The first Russian headphones with a built-in AI agent do a good job with the tasks of a smart assistant, replacing the functions of a stationary Alice, but they are inferior to Samsung's flagship device in sound quality and active noise reduction capabilities, Izvestia found out during testing of the model. If the Korean manufacturer relies on audio quality, and AI capabilities are just an application to it, then Yandex has put artificial intelligence at the center of the user experience. Yandex Drops went on sale on June 9th. Whether AI headphones can become a new mass gadget is in the Izvestia article.
The first wearable AI device
On June 9, Yandex launched sales of Drops headphones, the country's first and one of the world's first wearable devices with AI assistant functions. In fact, we are talking about an attempt to bring a new class of Russian device to the market — AI headphones. So far, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, integrated with the Galaxy AI ecosystem and offering real-time speech translation, voice interaction, and intelligent audio processing, has been considered the closest example of such a gadget.
However, if Samsung relies on audio quality, and AI capabilities are just an addition to it, then Yandex has gone the opposite way, putting artificial intelligence at the center of the user experience.
From a technical point of view, the novelty is wireless in-ear headphones with two 11 mm speakers and Bluetooth 5.4 support. Battery life, including charging from the case, reaches 30 hours, and a system of six microphones is responsible for recognizing voice commands — three in each earphone. According to the set of characteristics, the device rather corresponds to a strong middle segment of the market, however, the bet here is not on record-breaking audio indicators, but on the constant work of a voice assistant and interaction with neural network services.
According to Ilya Sklyuyev, the editor of the Non-Artificial Intelligence project, it is the capabilities of the assistant that distinguish the novelty from others.
— From the point of view of the assistant's capabilities, this is a breakthrough even by world standards. For an extremely low price, we get a full—fledged entry point into the Yandex ecosystem and at the same time good headphones on their own," the expert noted.
During testing by Izvestia, the most popular scenarios turned out to be creating notes and reminders on the go, quickly searching for information, controlling music (both through calls to Alice and through quick voice commands) and performing everyday tasks without having to take out a smartphone.
— It's a great assistant to record something on the go or set a reminder without even taking out your phone. In fact, headphones perform most of the functions of a smart speaker, but they are always close to the user, which makes interaction with AI noticeably more natural and regular," stated Sklyuyev.
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, where AI remains more of an additional feature to premium headphones, Yandex Drops can be called a full-fledged voice interface to the company's digital ecosystem.
The Battle for Artificial Intelligence
The most interesting thing is the comparison of the AI capabilities of the two devices.
Samsung is actively promoting Galaxy AI features, including real-time conversation translation, intelligent control, and working with contextual commands. However, many features are available only to owners of smartphones from this manufacturer of the latest generations.
Yandex, on the other hand, builds a product around Alice and its own services. According to Sklyuyev, in the long term, this may be the main advantage of the device in the Russian market.
— Yandex is actively developing Alice's capabilities — table reservations, product search, and various scenarios for interacting with services. All this will eventually work through headphones. From the point of view of practical benefits and development potential for the local market, the Russian solution looks very promising," the expert said.
In the future, headphones may become a permanent point of user interaction with the company's ecosystem, from working with notes to receiving notifications about orders and completed assignments.
— If we talk about the development of artificial intelligence capabilities, Yandex already looks like a very strong player. But I would like to see a built—in translator in the next versions, similar to what Samsung offers," Sklyuyev said.
Right now, the functionality of Drops is significantly limited, says Nikita Boguslavsky, editor-in—chief of TJ. The headphones do not know how to interact with either Yandex Maps or Yandex Go to call a taxi or order food. Alice doesn't know how to create events in Google Calendar or read mail either.
"And there's also no simultaneous translation, which is one of the most popular functions of smart headphones, which Apple, Samsung, and Anker have," Boguslavsky pointed out. — The device works as intended only if the user is immersed in the Yandex ecosystem. In other words, Alice will not remind you about a work meeting from Outlook and will not organize your notes from Notion. The device really still has a long way to go.
As for the sound quality, it became obvious during testing that the Russian device is primarily aimed at the mass user.
— It still sounds closer to the basic version. These are clearly not headphones for music lovers. Therefore, it is logical to wait for the appearance of the Pro-model and the further expansion of the line by analogy with the "Stations", — says Sklyuyev.
The target audience of Drops can be "anyone except audiophiles" — these are budget headphones that should not be compared with top models from Samsung or Apple, Nikita Boguslavsky also stated.
Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group, is even more critical of the device's audio capabilities.
— This is not an analog of the Galaxy Buds or other modern flagship headphones. In terms of sound, they are approximately at the level of models costing 2-3 thousand rubles. It's a very simple sound. The product was created not for the sake of audio quality, but for the sake of integration with Alice," the expert noted.
According to him, Samsung's current flagship models offer a different level of technology: more sophisticated noise reduction systems, additional microphones, and bone conduction technologies. At Drops, the emphasis is not on sound, but on software functions, Murtazin stated.
Indeed, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro offers a more advanced ANC system, does a better job of suppressing external noise and provides a more detailed sound. However, they are noticeably more expensive — around 15,000 rubles against 8,990 rubles for the basic Drops kit, said Igor Baranov, an expert in the field of digital technologies.
Who are Yandex Drops created for?
Experts have different opinions about the device's audience.
According to Sklyuyev, the novelty is able to interest almost any user who is not tied to expensive premium headsets.
— If you live in Russia and don't use expensive high-end headphones, this is one of the most interesting options on the market. If Alice's functions start to get boring, you can simply turn them off and use the device as a regular headset," he said.
The expert also notes that in its price category, the novelty looks stronger than many budget and mid-price models from Chinese manufacturers due to a wide range of functions.
Murtazin, on the contrary, considers the device's audience to be more narrow.
— This is primarily a product for people who actively use Alice. In fact, this is another expansion of the Yandex ecosystem, along with speakers, apps, and chat with an assistant. How much such scenarios will be in demand is still an open question," the analyst noted.
In his opinion, the main buyers may be technology enthusiasts who want to try a new format of interaction with artificial intelligence.
It is as an AI device that Drops make the strongest impression. Unlike regular headphones with a voice assistant, the user begins to perceive them not as an audio headset, but as a constantly accessible interface for communicating with Alice.
— The first AI voice recorder from Yandex is also expected to be released this year. It will be connected to the 360 ecosystem, which will make it more attractive for business and work," Ilya Sklyuyev said.
The very fact of the appearance of such devices shows that the consumer electronics market is gradually moving from traditional headphones to personal AI assistants. And if artificial intelligence used to live in a smartphone or smart speaker, now it literally begins to accompany the user throughout the day, Igor Baranov believes.
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