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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Thursday that OpenAI's first hardware product is a display-less, doughnut-shaped smart speaker designed to be carried around the home. OpenAI has discussed pricing it at $300 to $400 per unit. The account relies on people familiar with confidential work, and OpenAI declined to comment on its product plans.
What Changed
- Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Thursday that OpenAI's first hardware product is a display-less, doughnut-shaped smart speaker roughly the size of a hockey puck, with OpenAI discussing pricing of $300 to $400 per unit.
- The battery-powered device carries moving parts that animate when it responds, lights that show when it is listening, plus speaker grilles, microphones, a camera system and other sensors; it was designed with Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio.
- The discussed $300 to $400 price sits above Amazon's speaker range of $40 to $240, in a category that has proved difficult to sell profitably.
- Apple asked a judge this week for a preliminary injunction that could complicate the planned 2027 release; OpenAI moved Wednesday to dismiss the trade-secrets case.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
The device
Gurman's account describes a battery-powered object roughly the size of a hockey puck, with moving parts that animate when it responds. Lights would show when it is listening. Speaker grilles, microphones, a camera system and other sensors would let the device converse with users and take in its surroundings.
The device is expected to work much like ChatGPT's voice mode, using more advanced models to learn about a user over time. It was designed with Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio. OpenAI acquired Ive's io hardware startup in 2025 and added former Apple designers to its hardware operation.
The price and market
The discussed price sits above Amazon's speaker line, which runs from $40 at the low end to $240 at the high end. TechCrunch noted that smart speakers have proved difficult to sell profitably and that a higher price may make entry harder. Gurman's report says the device would cost less than a standard iPhone and use upscale materials such as high-quality metal.
A release is slated for 2027, with OpenAI seeking a reveal later in 2026. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2025 that OpenAI hoped to ship 100 million devices. OpenAI has not announced the device or confirmed its specifications.
The Apple dispute
Apple asked a judge this week for a preliminary injunction that would prevent OpenAI from using trade secrets Apple says were taken by former employees. If granted, the order could complicate the planned release. OpenAI moved Wednesday to dismiss the case, saying Apple had not identified specific trade secrets or plausibly alleged improper conduct.
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Apple's complaint says OpenAI asked a longtime Apple supplier to develop a similar metal-finishing method and misled the supplier about having Apple's permission. OpenAI called the allegation "too vague and generalized." Its filing said, "OpenAI is building something entirely new and different from anything at Apple."
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The 31-page dismissal motion uses variations of the word "fail" nearly 50 times, Axios reported Thursday, describing the case as a broader fight over talent as both companies develop AI hardware. Apple alleges that more than 400 of its former employees have joined OpenAI.
The internal review
The people familiar with the work said OpenAI investigated the issue with an internal probe following Apple's lawsuit filing and that OpenAI believes the product does not use or violate any Apple trade secrets. The available reporting does not establish whether Apple's complaint concerns this speaker, another planned product or a discarded concept.
AppleInsider questioned how much that review could establish four weeks after Apple filed suit, when similar assessments during Apple's design litigation with Samsung took months. The timeline "feels very quick for a complete technology stack assessment of a product which is apparently close to shipping," the publication wrote.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball read the moving components and sensors as evidence that the product may be something other than a conventional speaker: "This doesn't sound like a 'smart speaker' with lights, moving parts, cameras, and other sensors." He described it as a robot companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OpenAI's first hardware device?
A display-less smart speaker, shaped like a doughnut and roughly the size of a hockey puck, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is battery-powered and designed to be carried around the home with one hand, with moving parts that animate when it responds and lights that show when it is listening.
How much will it cost and when does it launch?
OpenAI has discussed pricing of $300 to $400 per unit. A release is slated for 2027, with OpenAI seeking a reveal later in 2026. OpenAI has not announced the device or confirmed its specifications.
Who designed it?
It was designed with Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio. OpenAI acquired Ive's io hardware startup in 2025 and added former Apple designers to its hardware operation.
How does the price compare with existing smart speakers?
TechCrunch compared the discussed $300 to $400 price with Amazon speakers ranging from $40 at the low end to $240 at the high end. The originating report said OpenAI's device would cost less than a standard iPhone and use upscale materials such as high-quality metal.
Could Apple's lawsuit delay the device?
Apple asked a judge this week for a preliminary injunction that would prevent OpenAI from using trade secrets it says were taken by former employees. If granted, the order could complicate the planned release. OpenAI moved Wednesday to dismiss the case.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Editor-in-Chief and founder of Implicator.ai. Former ARD correspondent and senior broadcast journalist with 10+ years covering tech. Writes daily briefings on policy and market developments. Based in San Francisco. E-mail: editor@implicator.ai
