OpenAI is developing a consumer hardware device designed to act as a companion alongside smartphones and laptops, according to media reports, marking a potential expansion beyond its core software and artificial intelligence services.
The device, reportedly codenamed “Gumdrop,” is described as a small, pen-shaped wearable comparable in size to an iPod Shuffle. It is said to integrate a camera and microphone, allowing users to interact through voice commands and capture handwritten notes that could be converted into digital text and uploaded to ChatGPT. Former Apple designer Jony Ive is reported to be involved in the product’s design.
The move would place OpenAI among a growing list of companies attempting to introduce AI-focused consumer hardware, following limited success by earlier products such as the Humane AI Pin and the rabbit r1. Those devices aimed to function as standalone AI companions but struggled to gain traction, with the Humane AI Pin discontinued less than a year after launch.
According to Taiwan Economic Daily, OpenAI initially considered Chinese firm Luxshare for contract manufacturing but later opted for Foxconn, with production expected to take place in the United States or Vietnam rather than mainland China. The report said the device remains in the design phase and may not reach the market until 2026 or 2027.
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Speculation around the device’s purpose remains wide-ranging. While it has been described as a potential “third major core device” alongside the iPhone and MacBook, questions persist about what functionality it could offer beyond existing smartphones. As the article noted, “a regular smartphone… can do almost everything that AI devices like the doomed Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1 can,” highlighting the challenge OpenAI faces in differentiating its first consumer hardware product.
Source: Taiwan Econimic Daily