Ever since OpenAI acquired ex-Apple chief designer Jony Ive’s design startup, rumors have been rampant about what kind of product the collaboration will yield. Clearly, it would have to be some sort of hardware piece – a first for OpenAI. At first, insiders hinted at an AI pen, then the clues shifted things towards something simpler – AI earbuds. Now insiders familiar with the matter claim that there are three hardware products in the pipeline – a wearable pin-like device, smart glasses and a smart speaker. The latter might just be first out the door.
Apparently, a team of over 200 people is hard at work on the hardware projects. Rumors that the speaker will be priced around $200 or maybe even $300 and have a built-in camera. If that doesn’t raise some privacy concerns already, allegedly, there will be no “wake word” for the speaker. Instead, it will always be aware of its surroundings and pick up on context. The sources also hint at a feature like Apple’s FaceID for authentication and perhaps even purchasing features.
Apparently, the pricey device will not be ready for market in 2026 and is instead targeting a 2027 release date. It will reportedly be followed by the smart glasses in 2028, and there is no release window for the AI pin quite yet.
