I just found an interesting article which provides some more details about the the Kata friends. I've been using Switchbot products for about a year, so I have some observations about them which I think will apply to the Kata friends. Here's the article:
IFA 2025 article re Kata friends
The article says that the USD price of the Kata friends will be $149. This seems very cheap.
However, Switchbot is obsessed with hubs, and they sell a range of them. They even force customers to buy hubs bundled with some of their products. So if you already have a hub and you want to buy a device they bundle with the same hub, you're forced to buy another one.
Kata friends are no exception to Switchbot's hub obsession. Switchbot is planning to release an "AI hub" which will be required to enable all features of the Kata friends. No price or release date is quoted. I suspect the AI hub will cost at least as much, if not more, than the Kata friend. The article also mentions that the Kata friend will work with their existing Hub 2, but not with all of the features. Either way - you'll need a hub. Hopefully they won't bundle them, so you won't be forced to buy a second hub if you want a second Kata friend.
According to the article, Switchbot has configured the Kata friends to be as much a home automation device as a companion. Which makes sense, because home automation is their specialty. Apparently Kata friends can act as a roaming security camera and send footage to your phone, as well as controlling other Switchbot devices by voice command. Most of Switchbot's products are cleverly designed and fairly priced, so if you buy a Kata friend you will probably be tempted to buy other Switchbot products it works with. However, Switchbot sometimes goofs.
For example, I bought their recently released video doorbell and it was a complete dud. It was poorly thought out, without basic features like push notifications. Its desktop monitor screen was only partially functional, incapable of showing event footage as advertised. Finally, the doorbell stopped connecting to anything and I returned it for a refund. By the way, the Switchbot video doorbell offers an optional cloud subscription for full functionality. Don't be surprised if Kata friends are subscription based as well.
Another important thing to know about Switchbot is that they're heavily invested in Apple and Matter - which aren't easily compatible with anything besides other Apple and Switchbot devices. Non Apple/Matter devices can be a pain to connect to the Switchbot ecosystem. For example their smart locks are configured to connect primarily with Apple devices, and their connectivity with Android, Alexa and Google Home is limited or nonexistent. Important features (like unlocking their smart locks with a smart watch or phone) are limited to the Apple ecosystem. So, if you buy a Kata friend, don't be surprised if you have more trouble connecting it to things if you don't have the Apple ecosystem. Or, you might not get the same features if you use an Android phone.
Overall, I like Switchbot and I plan to buy more of their home automation products. Their customer service and support are excellent and responsive. They have a good support website with many articles if you run into trouble. They were quick to refund my doorbell purchase with no hassles.
However, they make their money by selling products that depend on each other for functionality. I predict that the home automation and many other features of the Kata friends will be limited to other Switchbot/Apple/Matter devices. They use a single app to control all of their devices, it will be interesting to see how they include the features for a companion robot.
When it comes to companionship - that remains to be seen. The article seems to suggest that the Kata friends will have good AI functionality with the new hub. I look forward to seeing what they can do and if they develop personalities. They might end up being like teddy bears with cameras and wheels that you can order to lock your door or turn off your lights.
By the way, Switchbot is like Ropet in that they don't allow negative reviews to be published on their website or their social media. So you'll have to rely on outside sites (like this one) for honest reviews when Kata friends are released.
