Omi Dev Kit 2 Status and How to Build on Omi

Omi's store does not list the Dev Kit 2, an earlier developer pendant with 8 GB of storage, a speaker and a programmable button.

At Layer3Labs, we build AI workflow automation, custom agents and CRM integrations for small and mid-sized businesses, including law-firm intake. We work from Omi's published docs, prices and repository; we have not tested the hardware.

Developers looking to create software for the Omi ecosystem do not need legacy prototype hardware. Today, software engineers build on the standard consumer pendant or standalone phone capture by connecting to webhooks, the REST API, or the hosted Model Context Protocol server.

Dev Kit 2 Status and What to Build On Instead

DevKit 1 and DevKit 2 are earlier developer versions of the Omi pendant from Based Hardware, Inc.

Per Omi's hardware documentation, DevKit 2 included 8 GB of onboard flash storage, an integrated speaker, and a programmable physical button.

Neither DevKit 1 nor DevKit 2 appears in the official Omi store today. The historical retail price for DevKit 2 is not in our verified data.

The Omi pricing page lists what a developer can buy today.

Developers can buy two pieces of hardware today: the consumer Omi pendant and the Firmware Developer Kit.

The consumer pendant lists for $179, though an automatic $50 checkout discount brings the price to $129 as a promotional offer. Hardware builders working on custom low-level code can purchase the Omi Firmware Developer Kit for $59.99, which provides a J-Link debugger and an Omi flash PCB.

Hardware prices, promotional discounts, and software tier rates change without notice, so verify current figures directly on the Omi pricing page before ordering.

Software engineers do not even need dedicated hardware to start coding.

The Omi mobile application on iOS and Android can capture audio directly through native smartphone microphones, as can the desktop application on macOS.

Return terms on hardware purchases are contested across official channels.

Omi's refund policy page states that change-of-mind return requests must occur within 5 days of delivery (15 days for defective units and 14 days in the EU or UK). Meanwhile, the help center cites 3 days, and one product page mentions a 30-day window.

Do not assume a 30-day return period. Verify the current terms on Omi's refund policy page before buying.

• Consumer Omi wearable ($179 list, currently discounted to $129 at checkout)
• Omi Firmware Developer Kit ($59.99 with J-Link debugger and flash board)
• Standalone mobile capture on iOS 15+ and Android 7+ without dedicated hardware
• Open-source hardware design files and firmware on GitHub under the MIT license

How to Build an Omi Integration in Four Steps

Most business integrations with Omi need no firmware work. You send capture data from the Omi app to your own server, then act on it.

Real-time transcription requires an Omi Unlimited subscription ($29.99 per month, or about $270 per year when billed annually). When the 300 cloud minutes on the free tier run out, Omi keeps recording, and the audio is kept for export or later processing.

Build this first: one webhook that fires when a conversation finishes and creates a task in the tracker your team uses, directly or through Zapier.

• 1. Pick a capture source. The consumer pendant pairs with the Omi phone app over Bluetooth; Omi's product page lists Bluetooth and Wi-Fi through nRF5340 and nRF7002 chips. To test without hardware, record through your phone or laptop microphone.
• 2. Choose the integration surface. Omi sends webhooks for audio bytes, real-time transcripts, new memories and day summaries, so your server can act at that moment, such as filing a summary at day's end. For later queries, the Omi documentation covers a REST API for memories, conversations and action items.
• 3. Connect an AI assistant through the hosted MCP server. The Omi MCP documentation shows how Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor and Codex can query your conversations. Requests authenticate with OAuth or an API key.
• 4. Publish it as an Omi app, free or paid, in the Omi App Store.

Firmware Customization and Open Source Architecture

Engineers modifying device operating code can access the complete software stack directly through the Omi repository on GitHub.

The project is released under the MIT license, has about 13,600 GitHub stars, and includes the software and the hardware design files.

For firmware work on the pendant, Omi sells the Firmware Developer Kit ($59.99). It bundles a J-Link debugger with an Omi flash board.

That lets a developer flash modified firmware onto the pendant.

You can also self-host the Omi backend from the same repository.

The reference self-hosted stack in Omi's docs needs a Google cloud setup.

Teams can also reroute speech processing away from default cloud transcription providers.

Within mobile application settings, developers can activate Custom STT to direct raw audio streams to third-party and self-hosted transcription models rather than standard cloud pipelines.

Enterprise Considerations and Workplace Automation

A small business would wire up Omi to cut the notes someone types after a client call.

In the law-firm intake work we do, the same pattern applies: a finished conversation becomes an intake record and a follow-up task in the firm's CRM.

Settle consent before you put a recording device in a client meeting.

Some US states require every participant's consent. Review our reference guides covering all-party consent states and recording consent compliance to evaluate your local jurisdiction. Omi says users are responsible for getting consent under local law.

Omi says it follows SOC 2 and HIPAA standards; its enterprise page says SOC 2 Type II is still in progress. Regulated organizations subject to strict statutory audits should note that an in-progress certification does not satisfy formal compliance checks.

Hardware recording indicators also warrant attention in professional settings.

Omi's help center documents no dedicated recording light; the status light shows connection and charging.

Omi's retail pages list 10 to 14 hours of battery life on one charge.

Omi's GitHub README claims 24h+, and Omi's docs say battery life varies.

Organizations deploying multiple hardware units can access enterprise procurement tiers. Omi provides volume discounts on its enterprise page: orders of 10 or more devices receive 10% off, 100 or more receive 20% off, and 1,000 or more receive 30% off. Enterprise pilots run for 7 days with a refundable deposit of $89 per unit.

Hardware Alternatives for Ambient Audio Capture

Plaud manufactures multiple dedicated recording devices, including the Plaud Note ($159), Plaud NotePin ($159), Plaud NotePin S ($179), and Plaud Note Pro ($189). Plaud's free Starter plan includes 300 minutes. Pro costs $99.99 a year or $17.99 a month, and Unlimited costs $239.99 a year or $29.99 a month, per the Plaud plan pricing page. Battery performance, physical weight, and developer APIs for Plaud are not in our verified data.

Fieldy markets the Fieldy 3 recording device, produced by Field Labs Inc., which retails for $179 but sells for $129 during promotional campaigns. Fieldy includes 150 free minutes monthly, with an Unlimited plan priced at $19.99 monthly or $15.99 per month when billed annually. Fieldy claims support for 100+ languages, though detailed battery specifications and developer webhooks are not in our verified data.

Three other makers changed ownership or sell a different kind of device.

Bee, which was acquired by Amazon, sells the Bee Pioneer for $49.99. It ships only to the United States, works only on iOS, and lists 40 languages and up to 7 days of battery; its subscription price is not in our verified data. Limitless, which was acquired by Meta, ceased selling its pendant on December 5, 2025. Friend sells a $249 companion necklace that does not take meeting notes.

• Omi pendant: $179 retail ($129 current checkout discount) with open MIT source code and REST/MCP developer access
• Plaud hardware family: $159 to $189 with tiered transcription subscriptions from 300 free minutes to unlimited plans
• Fieldy 3: $179 regular ($129 sale price) with 150 free monthly minutes and optional unlimited service
• Bee Pioneer: $49.99, iOS only, US shipping only, up to 7 days of battery; subscription price not in our verified data

Who This Build Path Does Not Fit

This development workflow is not for organizations subject to strict HIPAA enforcement or mandatory SOC 2 Type II audit requirements.

Because Omi's enterprise certifications remain in progress, compliance officers at healthcare clinics and financial advisory firms should not channel confidential client conversations through standard cloud processing. Those teams should use a meeting-capture service that will sign a Business Associate Agreement, and get that in writing before recording any client call.

Hardware experimenters who want a dedicated developer pendant like Dev Kit 2 will not find one in Omi's store today.

Unless you purchase the $59.99 Firmware Developer Kit alongside the consumer pendant, low-level hardware debugging requires sourcing your own flashing components.

Two changes would alter this advice.

If Omi lists a new developer kit in its store, we would point hardware builders to it. If Omi's enterprise page confirms SOC 2 Type II, regulated teams could reconsider Omi for client conversations.

Review the Omi repository on GitHub and configure a single test webhook to verify your internal pipeline before purchasing dedicated capture hardware.