OpenAI’s push into consumer hardware centers on its acquisition of Jony Ive’s io studio and confirmed plans for a screenless, voice-first AI companion device such as a portable smart speaker with camera, sensors, and mechanical elements for contextual awareness. Executive statements from early 2026 targeted a late-2026 debut, supported by manufacturing deals with Luxshare and component suppliers, yet a July court filing in a trademark dispute explicitly bars shipments before late February 2027, shifting the realistic window into early 2027. A limited Codex Micro keypad launched in July 2026 for developers, but it does not count as general consumer hardware. Traders weigh these timelines against Meta’s faster pendant rollout and OpenAI’s broader agent platform efforts, with any slip in supply chain lock-in or regulatory hurdles likely to keep near-term launch odds in flux.