As OpenAI moves closer to launching its first hardware product, the company has built a strong design team to support its big plans. Last year, OpenAI signed a $6.5 billion deal to acquire “io,” a startup founded by legendary former Apple designer Jony Ive. With this deal, Ive and his team officially joined OpenAI.
Jony Ive and his group are best known for designing some of Apple’s most iconic products. They are now working on creating an AI-powered device for OpenAI. While details about the product are still limited, new reports are giving a clearer picture of when it could be revealed.
In an interview with Axios, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane said the company is “on track” to unveil its first hardware product in the second half of 2026. This is the strongest timeline confirmation so far for OpenAI’s long-rumoured entry into consumer hardware. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has spoken about an AI-focused device several times, but until now, no clear launch window was shared.
However, Lehane did not confirm when the product would actually go on sale. According to an Android Central report, commercial sales may begin only in 2027, even if the device is officially revealed in 2026. Axios also reported that OpenAI is targeting “the latter part of 2026” for the announcement.
OpenAI first announced plans to launch a hardware product in May 2025, but since then, information has been tightly controlled. Slowly, more details are starting to surface.
A report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that Sam Altman told OpenAI employees that he and Jony Ive are aiming to ship up to 100 million units of the device over time. Altman reportedly described the project as a major turning point for the company.
Adding to this, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said on X that mass production of OpenAI’s first hardware device is expected to begin in 2027. This suggests the product could take time to reach consumers, even after its official unveiling.
In November 2025, during Emerson Collective’s Demo Day, Sam Altman and Jony Ive said they already had working prototypes of the upcoming device. According to 9to5Mac, they expect to start production within the next two years.
More recently, The Information reported that OpenAI is speeding up work on audio-based AI models ahead of its first hardware launch. The device is said to come without a screen and will mainly use voice commands for user interaction.
Based on current reports, OpenAI may officially introduce the device before the end of 2026, while its wider public availability is expected in 2027.
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