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Friend re-launches its AI pendant with a speaker that talks to you, for twice the price
Friend has re-launched its AI pendant with a built-in speaker, allowing the device to respond aloud rather than only through messages. The change is significant because the company is positioning a more overtly conversational form of AI companionship despite earlier public criticism of the product and concern about dependence on technology.
The pendant now costs $249, up from $129, with the speaker apparently accounting for the $120 increase. Friend previously spent $1.8 million of its $2.5 million funding on the friend.com domain and heavily advertised in New York’s subway system, where a protest targeting the company took place about nine months earlier. Founder Avi Schiffmann has called the update “Friend 2.0”, although the product remains labelled simply Friend on its website.
In short
- Friend’s AI pendant can now speak aloud.
- The price has risen from $129 to $249.
- The relaunch follows criticism and a New York protest.
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The case for
A speaker could make the pendant more useful and accessible by letting users have a natural, hands-free exchange instead of checking written messages. At $249, the higher price may reflect added hardware and development, and people who value an always-available conversational companion should be free to decide whether that benefit is worth the cost.
The case against
Making the device speak may deepen concerns that AI companionship encourages emotional dependence or substitutes for human connection, especially when the product is marketed as a friend. The price increase also invites scrutiny of whether the added feature justifies the cost, given the company’s conspicuous spending on branding and advertising and the criticism it has already faced.
Explained simply
Friend is an AI pendant – a wearable device that works as a conversational companion. The new version includes a built-in speaker, allowing the device to speak to users rather than only sending text responses.
The updated model costs $249, compared to $129 for the original version. The $120 price increase reflects the addition of speaker technology to the device.
Friend was created by Avi Schiffmann, who has invested heavily in marketing the product through advertising campaigns and domain name spending. The re-launch comes after earlier criticism and protests about the product, with concerns raised about whether such devices could foster dependence on technology.