A wave of wearable AI recorders at CES 2026 promises to remember every word you hear, but startup Thine says the best device for the job is already in your pocket.
> At a Glance
> – Thine is an iPhone app that captures and transcribes conversations
> – It piggybacks on Apple’s always-listening “Hey Siri” mic stream
> – Subscription currently costs $200/month for executives and founders
> – Why it matters: No extra gadget to wear or charge-just install and talk
Thine’s CEO Pratyush Rai told News Of Los Angeles he scrapped plans for a dedicated pin, ring, or necklace after realizing the iPhone’s microphone and noise-cancellation stack already met his needs.
How It Works
The app taps the same live-audio stream that waits for the “Hey Siri” wake word. Once a chat ends, Thine’s AI model trains on the transcription so you can later ask, “What did that AI exec tell me at CES?” and receive a concise summary.
- No audio recordings are stored, only AI-generated notes
- Exact transcripts aren’t live yet but are in the next release
- A future $1/month tier will offer plain transcripts without chatbot recall
Pricing & Roadmap
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Executive tier | $200/month | Full AI recall, summaries, early access |
| Transcript tier | $1/month | Plain text transcripts, coming soon |
Rai says the steep cost reflects secure long-term storage, not model training. Keeping old conversations accessible curbs hallucinations when users query past events.
Privacy & Purpose
> “We should not try to solve a problem both from a hardware standpoint and a privacy standpoint that Apple has already solved for.”
> – Pratyush Rai, CEO, Thine
Rai insists Thine isn’t meant to be your digital friend; it’s a tool to strengthen real human relationships by ensuring you never forget what someone actually said.
Key Takeaways
- Thine leverages existing iPhone mics instead of selling new hardware
- High price targets execs who network constantly
- Future cheap tier will focus on raw transcripts
- The company prioritizes verbatim memory over AI creativity
As AI wearables multiply, Thine bets the smartphone in your pocket is the only recorder you need.
