Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman are launching Luffu Link, a screenless family safety wearable designed to share location, health data, and emergency alerts.
The wristband marks the first physical product from Luffu, a company established by Park and Friedman earlier this year following their departure from Google. According to tech outlet Android Authority, the device is scheduled to launch in early 2027.
Park and Friedman previously co-founded Fitbit in 2007, pioneering the modern consumer fitness tracker market before selling the business to Google in 2021. While Fitbit focused heavily on individual step counts, workout tracking, and personal athletic metrics, Luffu represents a deliberate pivot toward family caregiving and shared health monitoring.
Wearable features and health monitoring
The Luffu Link records routine activity, sleep patterns, and heart rate, maintaining several familiar fitness tracking capabilities. However, the device also incorporates a voice logging system that allows users to record symptoms, medication intake, meals, and mood by holding down the primary physical button while speaking.
Voice recording is strictly manual and does not remain active constantly, operating only while the user depresses the main control button. The collected data is transmitted directly to the Luffu smartphone application, where an artificial intelligence system processes the entries.
According to the company, the integrated AI searches for health patterns and highlights important changes over time. This centralized analysis is designed to prevent family members from having to reconstruct medical histories through scattered text messages, phone calls, reminders, and separate software applications.
Standalone connectivity and emergency alerts
Unlike many standard smartwatches and activity bands, the Luffu Link can function completely independently of a nearby smartphone. Equipped with built-in GPS and cellular LTE connectivity, the wearable can share location data and contact trusted individuals even if the wearer leaves home without their mobile phone.
The device features a single physical button designed for quick communication. A double press sends a check-in notification to designated family members to confirm all is well, while pressing and holding the same button allows the user to request assistance during an emergency.
The wristband has no digital screen, eliminating app navigation and conventional daily notifications. It is engineered to operate continuously with minimal user interaction, offering an announced battery life of up to five days on a single charge.
Subscription model and family sharing
Cellular LTE service is included directly within Luffu's family subscription plan, eliminating the requirement for users to negotiate a separate line with a telecommunications carrier. The subscription covers up to four family members under a single service plan.
Unlike traditional fitness devices where personal metrics remain private to the individual wearer, Luffu Link automatically distributes health and safety information among all authorized family members on the account.
While safety smartwatches featuring geolocation tracking, restricted contact lists, and SOS buttons have existed for children, Luffu aims to extend this protective framework to entire households, including adults and elderly relatives.
Personal inspiration and founding background
Park explained that the concept for Luffu originated while he was attempting to coordinate remote medical care for his aging parents. The effort was complicated by information scattered across multiple healthcare providers and an ongoing language barrier.
Speaking about his mother, Park recalled that she did not want to be constantly asking questions and did not want to feel monitored, a dynamic that ultimately shaped the core design of Luffu.
Friedman described experiencing a similar situation within his own household. He explained that health is not a single person's project, but something shared, summarizing the company's focus on collective family coordination rather than isolated personal metrics.
Pricing, release schedule and future products
The Luffu application is currently operating in a public beta test and is expected to expand its availability across the United States before the end of 2026. The Luffu Link wristband will launch in early 2027, also initially limited to the United States market.
There is currently no information regarding potential release dates for Spain or other European markets. The hardware will be sold in three color finishes: Halo Gold, Onyx Black, and Sterling Blue.
At launch, the Luffu Link will carry a retail price of $249.99, while reporting from Axios indicates a pre-order price of $249 followed by a regular price of $299. The required family subscription plan will cost $20 per month.
In addition to the wristband, Luffu is developing a second hardware product consisting of a dedicated home device with a display screen aimed at coordinating care across multiple households. Although technical specifications and pricing have not been disclosed, the company plans to share further details about the home device before the end of 2026.
