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AI & Machine Learning 2 min read 436 views

OpenAI Consumer Device on Track for H2 2026, Confirms Executive

Jony Ive-designed screenless gadget moving to Foxconn for manufacturing outside China, targeting second half of year.

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OpenAI confirmed at the World Economic Forum on January 22 that it remains on track to unveil its first consumer hardware device in the second half of 2026.

Jony Ive Partnership

The device is being developed following OpenAI's May 2025 acquisition of io Products, a startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a deal valued at approximately $6.5 billion. At Apple, Ive led the design of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

Device Details

Reports describe the device as palm-sized and screenless, able to take audio and video cues from physical environments. It may include a small projector to cast content onto surfaces and will communicate through a camera, microphone, and speaker. The device may stay "always-on" rather than requiring a wake word.

Manufacturing

OpenAI has moved production from Luxshare to Foxconn due to concerns about manufacturing in mainland China. The device is expected to be assembled in Vietnam or the U.S.

Market Context

CEO Sam Altman has described the device as more "peaceful" than a smartphone. The project, internally known as "Gumdrop," enters a market that has seen notable failures like Humane's AI Pin, but also growing success in AI-equipped glasses, which Qualcomm expects to reach 100 million units annually within 24 months.

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