OpenAI’s first consumer hardware product is taking shape as a doughnut-shaped, hockey puck-sized smart speaker priced between $300 and $400, according to Bloomberg.
The device has no screen, runs on battery power so it can move freely between rooms, and is built around voice-based conversations with ChatGPT.
The speaker includes microphones and speaker grilles for voice interaction, a camera system, and environmental sensors that feed the AI information about its surroundings.
Moving parts will animate when the device responds, and lights will indicate when it’s listening.
OpenAI describes the underlying AI as capable of human-like responses that improve as it learns more about a specific user over time. The body is reportedly made from a premium metal material and is sized to be carried with one hand.
Jony Ive’s Hardware Debut
The device is being designed by Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief who led the creation of the iPhone, iMac, and AirPods during his two decades at Apple.
OpenAI acquired Ive’s hardware startup io last year, bringing several former Apple designers onto the project. The speaker is expected to preview publicly later in 2026 ahead of a wider launch in 2027.
The Apple Lawsuit Backdrop
The product reveal arrives at a charged moment. Apple sued OpenAI in July, alleging the company misled an Apple supplier into sharing a proprietary metal finishing technique.
OpenAI filed a motion to dismiss that lawsuit on the same day Bloomberg published its hardware description, with the company stating it is “building something entirely new and different from anything at Apple.”
Bloomberg noted the speaker “is not something Apple has come close to launching,” framing the device’s distinct form factor as evidence against Apple’s trade secrets claims.
Apple maintains OpenAI developed its hardware using information obtained from Apple’s supply chain. The lawsuit remains active.
Where Apple Stands
Apple does have competing hardware in development, though none matches OpenAI’s form factor directly.
A display-equipped smart home hub is expected as soon as this year, and the existing HomePod mini is a wired speaker not designed for room-to-room portability.
Apple’s more experimental product, a tabletop robot with a display and motorized arm, won’t arrive until 2027 at the earliest.
At $300 to $400, OpenAI’s speaker sits considerably above the HomePod mini’s price range and enters territory where it will need to justify the cost without offering a display, something rival devices from Amazon and Google have increasingly leaned on.
OpenAI has not confirmed a specific launch date beyond its stated target of a 2027 general release.
