For years, tech companies have been telling us that voice will eventually supersede touchscreens as the primary way we interact with our technology, but it’s never quite happened — and I’d come to doubt whether it ever actually will.
At IFA in Berlin, I saw something that made me think again. A team of folks who left design-forward British tech startup Nothing have created an AI microphone that takes us at least one step closer to our voice-controlled future.
About the size of a small lighter, the Relay Q tucks easily and comfortably into your hand to form a bridge between your voice and your computer, between thinking and text. Hold down the tip to capture whisper-level audio, so you can subtly dictate or give voice commands in a quiet office without disturbing people. You can also double-click the top to press Enter or Send.
What immediately impressed me about the Relay Q is its design and the tactile experience of holding the device. I wasn’t surprised to learn the team members are Nothing alumni, responsible for helping design some of the coolest audio and mobile devices on the market. These are people who know that how the technology looks and feels is an important part of whether people will truly love using it.
The Relay Q is available in a range of dual-color tones — silver and electric blue, which gives Dyson vibes, and baby blue and orange for a jazzier look. The press-to-speak button on the top has a satisfyingly soft yet responsive feel to it as you hold it down to talk.
I’m also impressed by the way the tip of the device slides off, turning into a subtle wearable pin that clings to your collar with its built-in magnet, keeping the microphone close to your face. It’s a clever, thoughtful touch that provides flexibility depending on how you want to use the product. To activate the mic in wearable mode, you’ll still need to press and hold the top of the main module — or use a MagSafe remote (available separately) on the back of your iPhone.
The Relay Q is the gateway device to communicating with Relay’s AI desktop software, which is powered by Google Gemini and runs on macOS only for now (with Windows and Android compatibility coming later). You’ll need to grant the app access to your other apps so that it can carry out any commands you might give it through the Relay Q.
In a quick demo, I whisper into the microphone, asking it to draft an email asking someone to be a contributor to CNET. I watch on a screen as Gmail opens and an invite appears. It’s not a bad effort at all, and is just one of many skills the AI agent can perform. I haven’t had a chance to test any others, but I did take a peek at the personalization options, where you can provide specific instructions about your writing preferences for the AI to reflect in its own writing style.
I’m especially interested in seeing how speech-to-text actually works when I’m putting together a longer draft. I actively enjoy writing — it’s why I do what I do, and I certainly don’t want AI to do it all for me. But now I find myself wondering whether typing always has to be my input method.
I think of old-school field reporters in the days before computers, who had to call the news desk and dictate their copy over the phone, usually off the cuff. There would certainly be a learning curve — but if I could learn how to effectively communicate my thoughts and writing style coherently, it could save me a lot of time. I’d still be writing, just with my voice.
In most circumstances, especially in an office or public setting, I’d be far too self-conscious and worried about disturbing people to do this. I like that the Relay Q is built specifically to capture low-level whispering, so I can mutter away quietly without worrying about people listening in.
The device is currently available to pre-order for $150 for early supporters, including a MagSafe remote and 12 months of Relay Unlimited (the company’s software subscription). It sounds like the price might go up before or around the date the device is due to ship, which is currently January 2027.
Standalone AI devices are becoming more common, with many companies unveiling concepts and experimental tech right now, but I haven’t seen one quite like this before. I’m curious to see how it fares.
Editors’ note: Katie Collins’ travel costs for the IFA conference were covered in part by Xiaomi. The judgments and opinions of CNET are our own.
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