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Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Is the first OpenAI device a pair of earphones? Here's what legal filings reveal
OpenAI's first device being developed in collaboration with hardware startup io and Apple's former head of design, Jony Ive, will not be a pair of headphones. In a declaration submitted to court, io co-founder Tang Tan said that the prototype of the OpenAI device 'is not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' The former Apple executive's remarks came up in legal filings that were submitted to court earlier this month by lawyers representing OpenAI and io. Since unveiling their partnership in a launch video featuring Sam Altman and Jony Ive earlier this month, both OpenAI and io have kept the form factor and other details about the device tightly under wraps. 'I think it is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen,' Altman said in the nine-minute video. However, the video as well as other promotional material related to OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive's io startup have since been taken down in compliance with a court order that was issued in a recent trademark dispute lawsuit filed by iyO, a Google-backed hardware startup that makes custom-molded earpieces which can be connected to other devices. The legal proceedings in the trademark case have shed light on new details about the mass-market AI hardware device being developed by OpenAI, io, and Jony Ive. 'Our intent with this collaboration was, and is, to create products that go beyond traditional products and interfaces,' Altman said in a court declaration dated June 12. The legal documents also revealed that OpenAI and io executives deeply researched in-ear hardware devices. They bought at least 30 pairs of headphones from various manufacturers to see what is currently available on the market. Tang Tan and Peter Welinder, OpenAI's VP of Product, also met with Jason Rugolo, the CEO of iyO to learn more about the startup's in-ear products. However, they were disappointed with iyO's custom-fit earpiece as the product failed repeatedly during demonstrations. Emails showed that Rugolo tried to forge a deeper relationship between iyO, io, and OpenAI but failed. He pitched iyO's device as an early 'developer kit' for OpenAI's final device. He further sought investment from OpenAI and even offered to sell his entire company for $200 million, as per the filings. Tan said that they rejected all of Rugolo's offers. In addition, Marwan Rammah, a former Apple engineer now working at io, urged Tan to acquire a large database of three-dimensional ear scans from The Ear Project as it could give them a 'helpful starting point on ergonomics.' It is not confirmed whether such a deal has taken place. It appears that OpenAI and io have now moved on from the idea of an in-ear product. io is not working on a 'custom-molded earpiece product,' Evans Hankey, the chief product officer of the OpenAI subsidiary, said in a court declaration. The ChatGPT-maker is exploring a wide range of devices, including 'desktop-based and mobile, wireless and wired, wearable and portable,' according to OpenAI's lawyers.
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI's First AI Device Won't Be Wearable, Launch Delayed to 2026
OpenAI's highly anticipated hardware collaboration with iconic designer Jony Ive is still a work in progress, and recent court documents have offered fresh insights. The device, OpenAI's first foray into physical products, won't be hitting the market before 2026 — and it's definitely not going to be something you wear. According to filings revealed amid a legal dispute with a Google-backed startup called iyO, OpenAI's upcoming AI gadget will neither be a wearable nor an in-ear device. That puts early speculation to rest, which had suggested something similar to smart glasses or the Humane AI Pin. Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple executive, stated in court, 'It is not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' Instead, the device is envisioned to be something that 'fits in your pocket or sits on your desk.' Tan also noted the design is still evolving and that the launch is at least a year away. That hints at a form factor potentially closer to a smart home assistant or portable desktop gadget. The project has been the subject of much intrigue since OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's company, IO Products, for $6.5 billion in May 2025. CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees the device could become OpenAI's most important product ever, with an ambitious sales target of 100 million units. Despite denying any wearable intentions, internal communications suggest OpenAI was initially interested in ergonomic techniques like ear scanning, which iyO uses to customize its earpieces. One hardware team member even floated the idea of acquiring a database of ear scans. However, Tang Tan ultimately declined iyO's proposals to invest, collaborate, or buy the company for as much as $200 million. In a legal declaration, Evans Hankey, another ex-Apple executive leading design at OpenAI, reaffirmed: 'io has no current plans to offer a custom-moulded earpiece product.' Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in as well, suggesting that the mystery device may resemble the compact iPod Shuffle and could even be smaller than Humane's AI Pin. He added it likely won't include a screen, instead using built-in cameras and microphones to interact with the environment. Kuo believes the device will pair with smartphones and computers for processing and display, rather than operating entirely independently. He also noted that manufacturing will take place in Vietnam, potentially as a strategy to avoid geopolitical risks tied to China. Investor Laurene Powell Jobs, a backer of both Ive's ventures, reportedly previewed a prototype and described it as 'a wondrous thing to behold.' Ive himself shared that the device 'reignited his optimism about technology,' adding, 'humanity deserves better' than screen-heavy devices. OpenAI had previously shared promotional content about the partnership and acquisition, but it was quietly removed following the trademark complaint by iyO. A spokesperson for Jony Ive dismissed the trademark dispute as 'utterly baseless' and confirmed they plan to contest it in court.
