Relay launches ai-powered microphone for voice-to-text innovation

A new startup, Relay, is introducing an AI-powered microphone designed to enhance voice-to-text capabilities. Based in London, Relay was founded by Cookie Xu, former head of AI and services at Nothing, and Raymond Zhu, a hardware product manager. The company is launching its software today, with the hardware, called the Relay Q, set to be available in early 2027. Relay's software is exclusive to macOS at launch, with plans to expand to Windows, iOS, and Android. The company emphasizes that conversations are most complex on desktops, making them the ideal starting point for its product. Zhu explained that during his time at Nothing, he and Xu used Wispr Flow's transcription software to "type" messages at work. However, they faced challenges with volume control in an office setting. Zhu demonstrated the issue by holding an earbud in front of his mouth, highlighting the need for dedicated hardware. The Relay Q is a cylindrical microphone that can be held or clipped to a shirt, with a double-tap to send messages. It is designed to capture speech even when whispered, addressing the volume issue. The Relay software, currently in beta, works with or without the dedicated microphone. Users can set a hotkey, such as Fn, to trigger the voice-to-text function. The voice-to-text engine is powered by Google's Gemini models. Relay also offers contextual actions, or Skills, such as messaging colleagues in Slack or creating calendar events. While some Skills, like Slack integration, had initial issues, others, like Google Calendar events, worked smoothly. Users can customize the software to adapt to their speaking patterns and tailor messages for different recipients, including translation for international coworkers. Relay's transcription capabilities, while improving, are not as advanced as Google's Rambler feature on the Pixel 11 series. The software can handle misspeaking and punctuation, but it occasionally struggles with consistency, such as inserting emojis inconsistently. Despite these limitations, Relay can perform actions like generating a Google Maps link for a restaurant recommendation. The company claims data is stored locally on the user's device and does not retain it after processing, though it acknowledges privacy trade-offs similar to Microsoft's Recall. In addition to the Relay Q, the company is developing a charging dock and a MagSafe grip for attaching the microphone to an iPhone or Qi2-enabled device. The Relay Q will cost $150, with a monthly subscription fee of $15 for continued software use. The software can be used without purchasing the hardware. Relay's product aims to reduce the need for keyboard interaction, addressing the question of how long one can work without touching a keyboard. The company has also considered wearable options like rings but opted for a dedicated microphone due to the existing market for smart rings.