Friend 2.0 AI wearable adds voice, shifting from text to spoken companionship

Avi Schiffmann announced Friend 2.0 on July 30, 2026, updating the AI companion pendant with a built-in speaker that projects a consistent voice personality. The original device, launched July 2024 at $99–$129, used text messages. The new version costs $249. Schiffmann describes the product as "not an assistant, and it is not a lover" but "some kind of confidant, friend, God."