When pet owners get home from a long day at work, their pets are often overjoyed to see them, or a little upset at how long they’ve been gone. What if those pets were able to give them a ring during their lunch break?
One company – uCloudlink Group Inc. – is trying to make that “what if” a reality with the new PetPhone, unveiled recently at the CES 2026 trade show. It said the device aims to eliminate the “Pet People Divide.”
According to uCloudlink, a mobile data traffic sharing marketplace, the PetPhone is the industry’s first wearable smartphone for pets. With two-way calling, owners and pets can speak directly through the pet phone to “soothe separation anxiety” when they are separated.
Research shows that both dogs and cats can recognize human voices. Dogs and cats can also experience separation anxiety, according to the American Kennel Club and ASPCA Pet Insurance.
“We believe connection is a fundamental right for every family member, including our pets,” said Jeff Chen, the CEO and co-founder of uCloudlink. “By combining PetPhone’s voice capabilities with PetCam’s visual insights, we are closing the Pet People Divide, so no pet ever feels alone.”
Writing for Tom’s Guide, Dan Bracaglia said he picked up one of the PetPhones at the Mobile World Congress trade show. He described it as a palm-sized device with a 5-day battery charge available in pink and green that’s now on sale for $90. At 37 grams, the device is safe for pets who weigh at least 8 pounds.
“I’m obsessed,” said Bracaglia, who is excited to use the device with his 18-pound long-haired chihuahua mix, Belvedere. He added that a full review of the device is coming soon.
“The front features a small speaker and a light that illuminates whenever you’re calling,” Bracaglia explained. “You can also manually turn it on if you need to visually locate your pet in the dark. Similarly, you can have the PetPhone generate audio to help locate your pet.”
PetPhones are supported by AI Wellness Monitoring and Precision Positioning, according uCloudlink. Pet location will be tracked, as well as activity such as playing and roaming.
Though the device costs under $100, Bracaglia noted that it requires a data plan. That plan costs around $10 per month, depending on the carrier.
“Empowering this ecosystem is uCloudlink’s patented CloudSIM technology,” said the company. “As a SIM-card-free solution, it enables PetPhone to connect seamlessly to a global network covering 200+ countries supported by 390+ carriers.”
Humans can call their pets by using the companion PetPhone app. Bracaglia said dogs can call their humans by jumping up and down three times in a row within six seconds, something that may take some training to get the hang of. Cats can jump from the floor to a surface roughly three feet or taller to place a call.
“In addition to the ability to chat with your pet, owners can also set up the PetPhone to play their pet’s favorite music remotely,” Bracaglia said. Another in-development feature of the PetPhone is pet-to-pet calling with other animals who have the device.
Along with the PetPhone, uCloudlink launched PetCam, a device that allows owners to see their pet when they’re away. Together, the tech is referred to as the PetPhone C+ Suite.