TikTok owner ByteDance is breaking into the hardware space with its first pair of earbuds. Dubbed the Ola Friend, the buds are launching exclusively in China.
The main pull of the buds is that they contain the company’s AI chatbot, which can be used without the assistance of one’s smartphone. Featuring an open ear design, the buds are made to “serve as an audio assistant when the user is traveling, practicing English, listening to music or simply looking for company,” according to the South China Morning Post.
To turn on the buds, a user simply has to say “Doubao Doubao,” a word THAT comes from ByteDance’s generative AI model, per SCMP.
The Ola Friend buds are priced at ¥1,199 CNY ($170 USD), launching on October 17 only in China.
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