Jony Ive's OpenAI hardware delayed until 2027

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OpenAI is working on its first proprietary hardware device, designed to make artificial intelligence usable beyond traditional screens. The project has been closely followed for months, primarily due to the well-known designer behind the product. New court documents now reveal that the market launch has been significantly delayed and previous timelines are no longer valid.

When OpenAI develops a hardware product, it's not about accessories or a niche experiment. The company, which ushered in a new era of AI use with ChatGPT, aims to establish a completely new consumer device. This first device is being designed by Jony Ive, Apple's long-time chief designer. It is precisely this combination of AI platform and iconic product design that generates high expectations and correspondingly high levels of attention.

Delay until 2027 confirmed

According to recent court documents, reported by Wired among others, the first hardware device designed by Jony Ive will not be delivered to customers by OpenAI until the end of February 2027 at the earliest. The company had originally planned to launch the ChatGPT-based device before the end of 2026.

The documents also state that OpenAI has not yet created any packaging designs or marketing materials for the device. This suggests that the product is still in an early stage of development and that a short-term market launch was never realistic.

Background: Trademark lawsuit against OpenAI

The trigger for the disclosure of these details is a trademark lawsuit by the audio startup iyO. The company filed the lawsuit after OpenAI acquired the startup io, which was co-founded by Jony Ive after his departure from Apple.

As part of the proceedings, OpenAI announced that the name "io" will no longer be used for AI hardware. This also applies to alternative spellings such as "IYO" or other capitalization variations. The company is reviewing its entire product naming strategy and aims to avoid potential confusion or legal risks.

What is known about the device

Little concrete information remains publicly available about OpenAI's first AI consumer product. However, it is clear what the device is not intended to be. According to earlier documents related to the lawsuit, it is neither an in-ear device nor a wearable.

Instead, the product is described as a so-called "third core device." It is designed to fit either in a trouser pocket or on a desk next to a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. Previous leaks provide further clues:

The device should be pocket-sized.
It comes completely without a screen.
It perceives its surroundings and everyday life contextually.

This would mean that OpenAI would deliberately break with existing operating concepts and develop a product that makes AI permanently available, but as unobtrusively as possible.

Internal assessment at OpenAI

Internally, the project appears to be highly valued. Sam Altman reportedly told employees after testing the prototype that it was "the coolest technology the world has ever seen." This statement was made after Altman had privately tested the prototype, designed by Jony Ive, at home. Publicly, OpenAI remains very reticent about details, functionality, or potential applications of the device.

OpenAI: High expectations meet complex reality

The delay of the first hardware device demonstrates the ambition and complexity of OpenAI's project. Legal disputes, open questions regarding product strategy, and high standards for design and functionality are significantly delaying the timeline. Despite this, the project remains one of the most exciting experiments in the current AI market. Whether OpenAI can actually establish a new class of device with this product will not become clear until 2027 at the earliest. (Image: Shutterstock / Samuel Boivin)