OpenAI is reportedly developing its first hardware product with former Apple designer Jony Ive, described as a battery-powered smart speaker without a display. The device is said to be doughnut-shaped and roughly the size of a hockey puck, marking the company’s initial move into dedicated AI hardware.
According to details attributed to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the gadget is expected to launch in 2027 at a price of more than £235. It is described as having a distinctive appearance, complete with moving parts. Some of these components will reportedly move on their own to indicate when the device is responding to or interacting with the user, alongside lights, a camera system, and additional sensors.
A portable AI assistant for the home
The battery-powered design is intended to be easy to carry around the home with one hand, drawing comparisons to Amazon’s now-discontinued Tap speaker. This portability suggests OpenAI is positioning the product as a personal assistant that can move with the user rather than remaining fixed in a single location.
Functionally, the device is expected to operate in a manner similar to ChatGPT voice mode found in the company’s smartphone apps, but with more advanced models designed for humanlike interactivity. Despite Ive’s background at Apple, the product is said to look and feel nothing like an Apple device. The two companies are currently engaged in an ongoing legal dispute.
The first of a wider product family
The speaker, which doubles as a pocket-sized personal assistant, could be the first in a planned family of devices from OpenAI. Further details about the broader lineup are likely to emerge in the period ahead of the product’s eventual release.
With a launch targeted for 2027, the device represents an early step in OpenAI’s hardware ambitions, combining voice interaction, sensors, and a camera system within a compact, portable form factor priced above £235.
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Image: theverge.com
