HTC has a new AI gadget, and it is not a phone, a headset or a pair of glasses. VIVEE is an egg-sized companion with an OLED screen for a face. It talks, reacts when you touch or turn it, plays games, runs guided meditations and sets reminders. HTC opened U.S. preorders on October 22 at a $99 promotional price, according to its Business Wire announcement. Here is what the device does, what it costs, what HTC says about privacy, and the fine print worth reading before you order.
What VIVEE is
HTC calls VIVEE "a new collectible AI-powered lifestyle accessory" and says it is designed as "an interactive lifestyle accessory rather than a conventional digital assistant." HTC says it can sit on a desk or attach to a bag.
The announcement lists these everyday features:
- Casual AI-powered conversations by voice
- Reminders
- Interactive activities and games
- Guided meditation
- Music playback through its built-in speaker
- Expressive animations on its display, with touch and motion sensors that let it react to how you handle it
HTC's product page says VIVEE's personality "comes to life with every interaction," and the Canadian VIVE Store listing says its personality "develops through your interactions, memories, and the context you share." HTC's Japanese announcement describes the same idea: AI conversation, long-term memory and a personality that grows over time.
The hardware
The specs on the U.S. VIVE Store page and hivivee.com:
- Size: 60 × 60 × 50 mm, small enough to hold in one hand
- Weight: 114 g
- Screen: high-resolution OLED, used as VIVEE's face
- Battery: "all-day" (HTC footnotes this claim; it does not give hours on the page)
- Charging: USB-C, cable not included
- Audio: speaker and microphone
- Sensors: touch sensor and gyroscope
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC
- Buttons: power button and a physical mute switch
- Feedback: vibration when VIVEE responds
- Water resistance: IPX4, which covers splashes ("Rain, yes. Pool party, no," in HTC's words)
There is no camera. The Canadian listing says you can talk to VIVEE in English, Mandarin or Japanese.
Suits: the collectible part
HTC sells interchangeable covers it calls Suits, sold separately. Each Suit has NFC built in, so putting one on gives VIVEE a matching new face, and HTC says Suits "unlock unique interactions and features." The Japanese announcement names five body colors and three Suit themes (jungle, forest and ocean). HTC says colors and Suits may vary by region.
Price and availability
- Preorder price: $99, from October 22 through November 30, 2026 (the U.S. store lists it as $99.99)
- Regular price: $119
- Shipping: expected to begin in early December 2026
- Where: hivivee.com and participating online retailers
- Canada: the VIVE Store lists a sale price of $143.99 CAD, regular $169 CAD
HTC's Japanese announcement says preorders opened first in the U.S. and that dates, prices and sales channels for Japan and other regions will be announced later.
What HTC says about privacy
Privacy is a large part of HTC's pitch. According to the announcement and product pages:
- VIVEE has no camera.
- A physical switch turns off the microphone. The hivivee.com page says the switch covers the microphone and speaker.
- Its core features do not require you to connect email, social media, banking or other personal accounts.
- HTC says it uses measures "designed to de-identify information before it is shared with third-party AI service providers."
- HTC says user interactions are not used to train general-purpose large language models, and the product page says "There is no AI training done with any personal data."
Two things are worth noticing. First, HTC's product page footnotes say information processed through VIVEE "may be handled by third-party service providers to deliver AI-powered functionality," and that voice interactions "may be processed through connected services," depending on the feature. HTC does not name those providers in the announcement. Second, in HTC's wording, data is de-identified before it is shared with those providers, so it is still shared. If privacy is why you are interested, read the VIVEE Privacy Notice before ordering. For a different approach to AI hardware that listens, see our Amazon Bee Frontier and Bee Eclipse explainer.
The fine print
- Adults only. Both VIVE Store pages say VIVEE "is an AI-powered companion designed for adults aged 18 and older. Not intended for children."
- Some features may need an account and an app. A footnote on hivivee.com says "A VIVE account, companion app, compatible device, and internet connection may be required for certain functionality," and that conversational responses "may be inaccurate, incomplete, or unexpected."
- No subscription information yet. HTC's announcement and store pages we checked do not mention a paid AI plan. HTC's VIVE Eagle smart glasses do need one after a 24-month included period, according to a review at bttr, so it is reasonable to check before buying.
Who it is for
VIVEE is one of several AI companions meant to be fun to have around rather than to get work done. App-based companions such as Tolan live on your phone. VIVEE puts that idea into a small physical object with a face. HMD and inTouch took another route with Mary, a voice companion built into a flip phone for older adults.
It may appeal to adults who like collectible gadgets, want a desk companion with a personality, or want light reminders and meditation prompts without opening another app. HTC describes it as a lifestyle accessory "rather than a conventional digital assistant," so it is not built to replace one. And it is not for kids, by HTC's own rule.
The open questions are the ones no spec sheet answers: how good the conversations are, how long the battery lasts in practice, and whether any AI features end up behind a fee. Shipping is expected to begin in early December.
