OpenAI Eyes Premium $300 to $400 Price Tag for First Smart Speaker
The screenless hardware device follows a $6.5 billion acquisition and is slated for release by 2027.
OpenAI is considering a retail price between $300 and $400 for its initial artificial intelligence hardware device, placing its upcoming smart speaker well above established market competitors as it prepares for an expected launch in 2027.
The screenless device is built around a compact, ring-shaped design roughly the size of a hockey puck. Designed for mobility, the battery-powered unit incorporates internal moving components designed to make physical interactions feel more dynamic and lifelike, alongside a camera system and environmental sensors that monitor its surroundings.
The ambitious pricing tier follows OpenAI’s $6.5 billion acquisition of io, the hardware startup headed by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, which anchored the company’s pivot into physical consumer electronics. Development details of the hardware venture were reported by Bloomberg.
A retail price in the $300 to $400 range positions the product significantly higher than standard smart speakers, competing at the top tier of consumer audio hardware alongside devices like Apple’s flagship HomePod. The premium cost highlights the expense of integrating custom motion mechanics and sensor suites, though the long development timeline allows room for price adjustments before the device reaches consumer markets.
