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OpenAI’s ambitious debut hardware product, co-designed with former Apple design guru Jony Ive, faces a significant postponement, with shipments now projected no earlier than March 2027, according to recent legal documents.
The delay emerges from a trademark dispute initiated by audio gadget maker iyO against OpenAI last year. The lawsuit escalated after OpenAI snapped up io, the AI venture Ive helped establish, sparking concerns over branding similarities.
Initially, OpenAI aimed to release the ChatGPT-infused gadget by late 2026. However, the company’s latest court submission indicates that consumer deliveries will not commence until after February 2027. Notably, OpenAI has yet to develop any packaging or promotional assets for the device.
In the filing, OpenAI also clarified a shift in its branding approach, opting against using “io,” “IYO,” or similar variants for any AI hardware naming, promotion, or sales efforts.
Details on this pioneering AI consumer tool remain scarce. Described as a compact “third essential device” to complement laptops and smartphones, it’s designed to fit in pockets or on desks. Court papers confirm it will steer clear of earpieces or traditional wearables.
Earlier disclosures suggest the device will boast pocket-friendly dimensions, environmental awareness tuned to users’ daily contexts, and a deliberate absence of screens. OpenAI chief Sam Altman reportedly raved to employees that, after trying Ive’s prototype at home, it stands as “the most impressive technology the world has ever encountered.”
This update arrives amid quashed speculation that rippled across Reddit last weekend, falsely claiming OpenAI teased the device in a Super Bowl commercial. The hoax post, now removed, showcased a fabricated spot with actor Alexander Skarsgård sporting metallic headphones and interacting with a shiny disc-like object. It gained traction online, even drawing shares from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, before being exposed as fiction.
