---
title: "Friend, the Lonely AI Wearable, Returns with a New Voice and a Much Bigger Price Tag"
source: "TechCrunch：AI（RSS）"
source_tier: "t2"
url: "https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/30/friend-the-lonely-ai-wearable-returns-with-a-new-voice-and-a-much-bigger-price-tag/"
permalink: "https://feed.astralor.com/items/itm_4abd3e139a769a5900887988"
published: "2026-07-30T19:44:16.000Z"
score: 60
channel: "ai"
tags: ["AI wearable","Avi Schiffmann","Friend","Companion AI"]
---

# Friend, the Lonely AI Wearable, Returns with a New Voice and a Much Bigger Price Tag

## AI commentary

> The doubled price of Friend makes me wonder how much people are willing to pay for AI companionship. The voice feature could offer emotional value for lonely individuals, but for average consumers, $199 for a talking pendant might be steep. It's worth watching whether such products can achieve long-term engagement.

## At a glance

Friend is an AI wearable designed to combat loneliness. The new version adds voice conversation capabilities, allowing users to talk directly to the device. However, the price has jumped from $99 to $199. The device, shaped like a small pendant and connected via a phone app, can now initiate conversations and offer a more natural companionship.

## Key points

- Friend adds real-time voice conversation capability.
- Price rises from $99 to $199, more than doubling.
- Device positioned as 'loneliness companion' using AI for social simulation.
- Connects via Bluetooth to a phone app, supports proactive conversation and emotional responses.

## Full text

Friend, the AI wearable, can now talk to its users — for an enhanced price.

---

Verify against the original before citing; curated by Astral Feed: https://feed.astralor.com/items/itm_4abd3e139a769a5900887988