Friend, the artificial intelligence pendant startup, announced a product update featuring a speaker capability and raised pricing significantly. The device, originally priced at $129, now costs $249 following the addition of voice output functionality. Previously, the pendant could only send text-based responses to users.
The company also introduced a subscription tier priced at $10 monthly that extends conversation memory beyond the standard 30-day limit. Founder Avi Schiffmann promoted the updated offering, referring to it internally as “Friend 2.0,” though the product retains its original name on the company website.
Friend had previously attracted substantial attention through aggressive marketing efforts in major metropolitan areas. The company secured $2.5 million in funding and spent $1.8 million of that capital acquiring the friend.com domain. Its promotional campaigns generated significant public discussion, including organized protests in New York City approximately nine months prior to this announcement. The protests focused on concerns regarding technology dependence and digital companionship products. Schiffmann notably acknowledged the movement by sharing protest imagery on social media and attending the event himself.
The relaunch represents the company’s effort to reposition its product in the market following the period of public scrutiny and controversy surrounding its original launch strategy and business model.
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