OpenAI’s hardware ambitions center on its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of Jony Ive’s io startup, which has produced a screenless, voice-first AI companion device roughly the size of a hockey puck, alongside supply-chain agreements with Luxshare for assembly and ongoing work on custom chips. Recent internal progress includes GPT-6 Astra rapidly designing a working hardware prototype with enclosure, PCB, and firmware in under a week, while supply-chain reports point to a first device targeted for 2027 shipments after earlier 2026 timelines slipped. Analysts also flag a separate AI-agent smartphone project with MediaTek and Qualcomm processors that could reach mass production as early as late 2027, positioning OpenAI to control both large language models and end-user interfaces amid competition from Apple, Google, and startups. Key near-term catalysts include any official reveal timing and manufacturing milestones that could clarify whether a consumer product ships before year-end 2027.