Friend's updated AI pendant adds a speaker and refreshed models — but the premise remains the same

What happened

A new version of the Friend AI pendant has been announced, according to Engadget. The updated wearable adds a built-in speaker and runs on updated AI models compared to its predecessor. Beyond those two changes, the product appears to retain the same conceptual framing that made the original Friend pendant controversial — a wearable designed to serve as an always-on AI companion.

Engadget's coverage is blunt in its assessment, describing the device as carrying "the same off-putting ideas about how humans should use AI." The headline itself — "That AI wearable you don't like just got worse" — signals that the publication views the update as a refinement of a concept it already found unappealing rather than a meaningful course correction.

Because the source article body was not captured in full, specific details about pricing, availability, battery life, which AI models are used, or how the speaker changes the user experience are not yet confirmed from the available reporting.

Why it matters

The AI hardware space has been turbulent. Multiple wearable AI devices — from Humane's Ai Pin to the original Friend pendant — have launched to lukewarm or negative reception, with critics questioning whether consumers actually want always-listening AI companions strapped to their bodies. The Friend pendant in particular generated attention for its premise of an AI "friend" that listens to your life and converses with you, a concept some found endearing and others found unsettling.

This update matters because it signals that at least one company in this category is pressing forward despite the skepticism. The addition of a speaker suggests Friend is trying to make the device more interactive — potentially allowing the pendant to talk aloud rather than relying solely on a phone or text interface. Updated models could mean better conversational quality. But if the core use case remains unconvincing to reviewers and consumers, hardware tweaks may not be enough to change the narrative.

It also raises a broader question for the AI hardware ecosystem: how many iterations do companies get before the market decides the form factor itself is the problem?

What to watch

• Full specs and pricing: The available source does not confirm cost, ship date, or regional availability. Watch for an official product page or hands-on reviews.
• The speaker experience: Whether the built-in speaker meaningfully changes how people interact with the device — or whether it creates new privacy concerns in public settings.
• Which models are inside: "Updated models" is vague. Identifying whether Friend is using a specific frontier model or a custom system will clarify what the device is capable of.
• Reviewer and consumer reception: The original Friend drew strong opinions. Whether the update shifts any of that sentiment will be telling for the broader AI-wearable category.