The creator of the iPhone and OpenAI are developing an artificial intelligence device to replace the cell phone: all the details

Apple once embodied the spirit of technological rebellion : it moved in zigzags and had the ability to reinvent itself, surprise, and provoke. But that spark has faded, and now it's become a methodical company, where every step is calculated to the millimeter .

In contrast, some see in OpenAI a similar energy to that which Apple radiated in its youth: a fresh, almost irreverent boldness that shakes up the tech industry's showcases with innovative ideas .

The common thread between the two companies is Jony Ive , one of Apple's most celebrated designers in its history. Now, together with OpenAI, he aims to create a new type of gadget—which doesn't have a name, but it does have a shape—that's more human, less addictive , and more intuitive.

The designer who created the iPhone , the most influential device of the 21st century, now seems keen to make amends for the consequences that invention had on several generations. He's also convinced that both the smartphone and the entire line of MacBooks and iPads are obsolete and need something else to replace them.

Mind-Chi Kuo on Jony Ive and Sam Altman's AI device:• The current prototype is slightly larger than the AI ​​Pin, with a form factor as compact and elegant as an iPod Shuffle.• One of the intended use cases is wearing the device around the neck.

• It will have cameras and… pic.twitter.com/UvLrgx4Wh4

— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) May 22, 2025

As if both—the creator of the object and the architect of the digital future—were now repentant, they appear willing to redesign the relationship between people and technology from the ground up. "Humanity deserves better." With that phrase, Jony Ive launched an elegant critique of the iPhone's legacy.

For Ive, collaborating with Sam Altman 's company isn't just another project, but rather a kind of reconciliation with technology: "It's revived my optimism," he confesses, after years of disenchantment with the repetition that prevails in the industry.

For this reason, he sold his IoT startup to OpenAI, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion . Although Ive and his firm, LoveFrom, will remain independent, they will assume the overall design of OpenAI, both in software and hardware.

“Many of us have collaborated closely for decades. The io team, focused on developing products that merge with OpenAI's ideas, is working more closely with the research, engineering, and product teams in San Francisco.”

As part of the agreement, approximately 55 experts—including engineers, developers, and manufacturing specialists—will join the OpenAI team, with an eye toward launching its first proprietary devices in 2026 .

“We bring together the best hardware and software engineers, technologists, physicists, scientists, researchers, and product development and manufacturing experts,” Ive and Altman stated in a joint publication.

According to an official video posted on the OpenAI website, Altman explains that the collaboration between the two parties began two years ago, quietly and motivated by "friendship, curiosity, and shared values."

From those initial conversations, ideas emerged that gradually took shape. The goal, they explain in the video, is to create a new family of products "that inspire, empower, and empower."

“Jony recently gave me one of the prototypes he was working on to take home, and I've been living with it for a while. I think it's the coolest piece of technology the world has ever seen,” Altman said in a portion of the video.

Jony Ive wasn't just another designer. He joined Apple in 1992 and, alongside Steve Jobs, helped shape a generation of iconic products: the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and even the Apple Watch. This aesthetic has defined Apple's design language for decades.

In this wave of success, many overlooked Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs's widow, also known as "the richest woman in Silicon Valley." She was one of the earliest investors in io when no one even knew it existed.

In a joint interview with the Financial Times, Ive acknowledged that he doesn't want the new gadget to become another iPhone. Not because of sales or success, but because of something much deeper: the level of addiction it generates in young people.

She was present during the development of the iPhone, witnessing her husband's "late-night conversations." She witnessed "in real time how ideas go from a thought to words, develop into sketches, go through a few discussions, and then arrive at the prototype."

In this context, the new device presents itself as an opportunity to redesign the relationship between people and technology. An attempt to correct the mistakes of the past and offer a more humane and conscious alternative.

My industry research indicates the following regarding the new AI hardware device from Jony Ive's collaboration with OpenAI:1. Mass production is expected to start in 2027.

2. Assembly and shipping will occur outside China to reduce geopolitical risks, with Vietnam currently the… pic.twitter.com/5IELYEjNyV

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 22, 2025

In a recent post, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the device could be larger than the Humane AI pin, but with a "form factor as compact and sleek as an iPod Shuffle."

Kuo adds that “one of the planned use cases” is to wear the device around the neck. It’s also possible that it won’t come with a display, Kuo says, with only built-in cameras and microphones for “ambient sensing.”

The miniature could also be connected to smartphones and PCs to use its computing and display capabilities.

Humane's AI Pin marked a milestone as the first tangible attempt by a startup formed by former Apple employees to reimagine the future of personal technology. Designed to replace the smartphone, it championed an AI-driven experience.

Equipped with a camera, a laser projector to display text on any surface, and a Qualcomm processor, the AI ​​Pin seemed to herald a new era in early 2024.

However, Humane's futuristic vision eventually clashed with reality. Despite its promises, it failed to convince both the public and critics. Its high cost, constant dependence on the cloud, limited user experience, and autonomy issues gradually dampened the initial enthusiasm.

The final blow came from HP, which acquired a large stake in Humane and decided to withdraw the product from the market and cease all technical support. Thus, after just a few months on the market, the AI ​​Pin went from being a symbol of disruption to a resounding failure .

At that time, another unexpected player emerged in this race for the future: the Rabbit R1. This small, colorful device with a fun aesthetic was presented as a friendly, AI-powered pocket companion that promised to do everything: from ordering an Uber to fluently answering any question.

His proposal attracted attention not only for what it could do, but for how it did it, breaking away from the cold functionality of other virtual assistants to become an almost playful presence in everyday life.

But upon its release, it received a wave of negative reviews, as the R1 barely did anything and many of its third-party integrations were flawed. The underlying software was revealed to be just a simple Android app. And it died in obscurity.