OpenAI abandoned its "io" branding for planned AI hardware devices, according to court filings this week. The company's first consumer device won't ship before late February 2027, a one-year delay from earlier projections.
The decision emerged from a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by audio startup iyO. OpenAI vice president Peter Welinder stated in court documents that the company reassessed its product-naming strategy and will not use "io" or any variation for AI-enabled hardware products.
OpenAI has not created packaging, branding, or marketing materials for the first hardware product, according to the filings. The company argued that a previously scheduled April 2026 injunction hearing is unnecessary because the branding has been fully rethought.
The hardware represents OpenAI's partnership with former Apple design chief Jony Ive, whose startup io was acquired in May 2025 for approximately $6.4 billion to $6.5 billion. That acquisition marked OpenAI's largest ever, establishing the foundation for its hardware ambitions.
Internal descriptions reviewed in earlier reports suggest a pocket-sized, screen-free device designed to sit alongside laptops and smartphones. The gadget is not expected to be a wearable or headset, but a small object that can sit on a desk or slip into a pocket while understanding a user's surroundings.
Sam Altman previously discussed building a "family of devices" with Ive and predicted unprecedented demand. The OpenAI CEO aimed to reach 100 million units faster than any previous new product category, according to earlier statements.
This hardware strategy complements OpenAI's other consumer hardware plans, including Dime earbuds scheduled for late 2026.
The delay coincides with online speculation about the device, including a viral claim that OpenAI scrapped a Super Bowl commercial unveiling the hardware. Senior OpenAI figures denied the story, calling the supposed advertisement "fake" and confirming the company's actual Super Bowl spot focused on Codex coding tools.
OpenAI continues to recruit Apple veterans to address hardware integration challenges. The team faces significant hurdles in perfecting form factor and core functionality for what the company promises will be a "completely new concept."
The shift to 2027 underscores the complexity of turning cutting-edge AI into mass-market hardware when legal, branding, and design challenges collide.
For consumers and rivals, the delay offers more time for competitors to refine their own AI gadgets while OpenAI and Ive polish a product that will be judged against some of the most influential hardware in tech history.
