OpenAI's Jony Ive device reportedly a $300 smart speaker
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reports that the AI device OpenAI is developing with former Apple designer Jony Ive is, in his words, "essentially a smart speaker without a display." The device is battery-powered and doughnut-shaped, roughly the size of a hockey puck, and Gurman's sources say it is expected to launch in 2027 for a price over $300.
According to Gurman, the device "will have a unique look, complete with moving parts," including some that move on their own to show when the device is responding to or interacting with the user. It will also carry lights, a camera system and other sensors, though no further specifications on the camera or sensors have been disclosed.
Gurman's sources describe the device as "easy to carry around the home with one hand," similar to Amazon's now-discontinued Tap speaker. Functionally, Gurman says it will work similarly to ChatGPT's voice mode on smartphone apps, but with more advanced models aimed at humanlike interactivity. He adds that the device will look and feel nothing like an Apple product, despite OpenAI and Apple's ongoing lawsuit; no further detail on that dispute is given.
The speaker could be the first in what Gurman describes as a "family of devices" OpenAI has planned, though he expects more to be reported about them before any of them actually arrives. No product name has been announced, and OpenAI has not itself confirmed any of these details; everything reported so far is attributed to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and his sources.
Key facts
- Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports OpenAI's device with Jony Ive is a display-less, battery-powered smart speaker, doughnut-shaped and about the size of a hockey puck.
- It is expected to launch in 2027 for a price over $300.
- It will have moving parts, including ones that move on their own to show the device is responding, plus lights, a camera system and other sensors.
- Gurman says it will work similarly to ChatGPT's voice mode on smartphone apps but with more advanced models, and will look nothing like an Apple product despite the OpenAI-Apple lawsuit.
- It could be the first in a "family of devices" OpenAI is planning.
Why it matters
OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's device startup, and this is the first concrete report of what that partnership might produce: a screen-less, voice-first companion device rather than a phone or wearable. If accurate, it signals OpenAI's ambition to build its own hardware category around ChatGPT rather than relying on Apple's or Google's device platforms, a strategy made more pointed by the fact that OpenAI and Apple are currently in litigation.
Who it affects
Consumers who might buy a home AI speaker in 2027; Apple, given the explicit comparison and the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies; and Amazon, whose discontinued Tap speaker is cited as the closest existing reference point for the design.
How to use it
There is nothing to buy or try yet. No product name, exact price or release date beyond the year 2027 has been given; the reported price is only a floor, "over $300." The report describes a device still in development.
How solid is it
The report comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, known for reliable Apple and hardware scoops, but every detail in the piece is attributed to Gurman and unnamed sources. OpenAI has not confirmed any of it.
Risks and caveats
All specifics, including the doughnut shape, hockey puck size, moving parts, camera and sensors, come from Gurman's sources rather than OpenAI itself. The exact price, the launch date within 2027, the product name and further specifications remain unknown, and early hardware reporting like this can shift before a product actually ships.
“essentially a smart speaker without a display”
— Mark Gurman, Bloomberg