TikTok Creators Unveil Ola Friend Headphones With Built-in AI

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has unveiled its first physical product — open-type headphones called Ola Friend. These headphones are designed with a built-in voice assistant and offer a range of AI capabilities.

For example, the user can ask the headphones to tell more about the artist of the song that is currently playing, turn on a certain genre of music, tell about an unfamiliar place that the person is currently in. There is also a function for translation from English live - a person can talk to a foreigner and hear a simultaneous translation of the interlocutor's speech.

The Doubao neural network is responsible for all AI functions. This is ByteDance's own development, which serves as a Chinese alternative to ChatGPT. To make use of the chatbot feature, users must download the Doubao app on their smartphones.

Ola Friend has an unusual shape. The headset body kind of “hugs” the ears, preventing the device from flying off during training or intensive walking. One earphone weighs only 6.6 grams, the plastic body is painted in four neutral colors: gray, white, black, and light purple. Other features: dual microphones, support for active noise cancellation, and battery life of up to 10 hours without recharging from the case.

Price and availability

Ola Friend headphones will be released on October 17, exclusively in China, and can be purchased through Tmall and JD.com platforms. The price is set at 1,199 yuan. Currently, there is no information regarding their availability in international markets. Previously, the famous Nothing released its first open-type headphones. The Ear (open) model received a transparent case and ChatGPT support.