In an exciting leap into wearable technology, ByteDance, the powerhouse behind the viral short-video app TikTok, has officially launched its inaugural pair of earbuds, the Ola Friend.
These innovative open-ear wearables are engineered to seamlessly integrate with ByteDance’s cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) chatbot, allowing users to interact without the need to wake their smartphones.
Currently available exclusively in China, the Ola Friend earbuds are designed to be versatile companions for a variety of activities. Whether you’re travelling, practicing English, jamming to your favourite tunes, or simply seeking some virtual company, these earbuds serve as a reliable audio assistant. The integration is effortless: once paired with a smartphone, users can activate ByteDance’s chatbot by simply saying the prompt word “Doubao Doubao,” a nod to the company’s GenAI service launched last year.
Powered by Doubao, ByteDance’s proprietary large language model, the chatbot brings intelligent and interactive assistance right to your ears. This technology, which forms the backbone of many GenAI applications, ensures that conversations feel natural and responses are contextually relevant.
Weighing in at a mere 6.6 grams each, the Ola Friend earbuds are designed for comfort and style. Available in four elegant colour options—purple, silver, black, and white—these earbuds cater to diverse aesthetic preferences. Priced competitively at 1,199 yuan (approximately US$170), the Ola Friend is set to ship starting October 17. Consumers can place their orders through major platforms including Alibaba’s Tmall, JD.com, and ByteDance’s own Douyin, the Chinese counterpart to TikTok.
The launch of Ola Friend marks ByteDance’s strategic expansion into the hardware realm, following its recent acquisition of Oladance, a Shenzhen-based startup renowned for its innovations in wearable tech. This move underscores ByteDance’s commitment to advancing GenAI technologies, especially in the wake of the global surge in AI developments sparked by OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022.
ByteDance is not alone in betting on the synergy between GenAI and wearable technology. Other tech giants and innovative startups are also exploring this frontier. Companies like Meta Platforms and Snap are delving into smart glasses, while startups such as Rabbit and Humane are experimenting with unconventional form factors like palm-sized devices and lapel-mounted AI pins.
With the Ola Friend earbuds, ByteDance is poised to redefine the landscape of wearable technology and conversational AI. By merging sleek design with powerful GenAI capabilities, ByteDance not only enhances user interaction but also sets a new standard for what smart wearables can achieve. As the digital world continues to evolve, Ola Friend stands at the forefront, promising a future where technology and daily life are seamlessly intertwined.
Source: TLDR
