What's New Here Is the Price and the Shape
Earlier reporting on this device centered on "screenless, voice-first." This round adds two concrete details. First, the price band: the internally discussed range is $300 to $400, a tier above the $200–$300 The Information gave earlier, with high-quality metal among the materials mentioned and the design led by Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio. Second, the form factor: doughnut-shaped, roughly the size of a hockey puck, battery-powered, with a camera and a set of sensors that perceive the surrounding environment. The most distinctive part is components that move on their own — Bloomberg's framing is that this gives it personality, unlike the motionless fixed speakers from Amazon and Google. The product is positioned as a humanlike AI companion that lives in the home, powered by ChatGPT: controlling smart home accessories, answering questions, playing media, responding to messages, and learning about the user over time to become more proactive. On timing, OpenAI plans to unveil it later this year, with the market release in 2027.
What Hangs Over It Is an Injunction, Not Manufacturing
More consequential than the price is Apple's lawsuit. Apple accuses OpenAI of stealing trade secrets and has filed for a preliminary injunction; if granted, it could bar OpenAI from releasing hardware. OpenAI has moved to dismiss, calling the allegations meritless, and people familiar with the project told Bloomberg the device is unlike anything Apple sells and is "unlikely" to infringe. These are the parties' positions; there is no ruling yet. To be clear, all of the above comes from Bloomberg's sources. OpenAI has confirmed none of it publicly, and both the price and the schedule could change. For ordinary users, the practical takeaway is that this is unlikely to be a cheaper smart speaker — it is being positioned as companion hardware above $300. For developers, the thing to watch is whether it opens to third-party integrations, on which nothing has been disclosed. Per Bloomberg, the speaker is only the start: OpenAI's hardware division is working on roughly five products, including a phone-replacement device, a wearable pendant, and home robotics.
via: iClarified, relaying Bloomberg's report, The Decoder: OpenAI's first hardware product is a screenless AI speaker designed to feel alive, Forbes report; verified 2026-08-07