TLDR: Napster, the iconic music-sharing platform, is making a significant return to the tech scene with the launch of “Napster View,” a $99 AI-powered 3D holographic device. Designed to clip onto a monitor, it enables users to video chat with AI agents and digital twins through the accompanying Napster Companion app, available exclusively on macOS at launch. The app offers a range of “AI experts” for an annual subscription of up to $219, including career coaches and wellness gurus. Napster CTO Edo Segal highlighted the device’s potential, noting his own digital twin’s weekly meetings with his engineering team. This move marks a major strategic shift for Napster, acquired by 3D tech company Infinite Reality for $207 million earlier this year, positioning it in the competitive AI hardware market alongside tech giants like Apple, OpenAI, and Meta.
Napster, a name synonymous with the early days of digital music sharing, is staging a surprising and ambitious comeback, pivoting into the burgeoning artificial intelligence hardware market. The company today unveiled “Napster View,” a $99 device designed to facilitate video conversations with AI agents and digital twins, marking a significant strategic shift following its acquisition by 3D technology firm Infinite Reality.
The Napster View is described as a “3D holographic” device that can be clipped onto a computer monitor. Its primary function is to enable users to engage in video chats with AI agents or their own digital twins on a separate screen, mirroring the experience of popular video conferencing tools like FaceTime or Zoom. The device’s design, according to Napster CTO Edo Segal, was inspired by the Mac computers it is intended to pair with, and the accompanying “Napster Companion” app will initially be exclusive to macOS at launch. Segal stated, “If you add this to your Mac device, your Mac becomes the most amazing AI powerhouse in the world.”
The Napster Companion app is central to the new ecosystem, providing access to a diverse array of “AI experts.” These AI assistants are available through a subscription model, with annual fees reaching up to $219. Users can customize their crew of AI professionals, which includes career coaches, wellness gurus, and other specialized agents, all led by a “chief of staff” AI. The device’s capabilities extend beyond simple conversation; when paired with the Napster View, the AI assistant can perceive the user’s environment, offering practical advice, such as suggestions on what to wear. Screen sharing functionality is also integrated.
A notable feature of the Napster Companion app is the ability for users to create a 3D digital AI twin of themselves. This digital replica can interact with other app users and answer questions, functioning, as Segal put it, “like voicemail on steroids.” He shared a personal anecdote, revealing that his own digital twin participates in weekly meetings with his 120-member engineering team. During these meetings, engineers discuss their projects and challenges, with the digital twin summarizing the discussions for Segal in an email. Segal described this as “an incredible experience for me.”
This bold move into AI represents a dramatic transformation for Napster, which was acquired by Infinite Reality for $207 million earlier this year. Infinite Reality’s initial stated goal was to leverage the Napster brand to “create branded 3D virtual spaces where fans can enjoy virtual concerts.” However, the introduction of the Napster View suggests a much broader ambition to compete in the rapidly evolving AI hardware and software landscape. Napster is now entering a competitive arena that includes major tech players such as Apple, which is enhancing its “Apple Intelligence” across its hardware, OpenAI, reportedly collaborating with Jony Ive on a mysterious AI device, and Meta, which is integrating more AI into its smart glasses. This strategic pivot positions Napster not merely as a music platform, but as a contender in the AI arms race, signaling a potential rebirth for the brand.
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Correction: An earlier version of the Business Insider story incorrectly stated the price of the Napster View. The correct price is $99.
