Jony Ive and Sam Altman have been teasing an AI hardware device for a long time, but the tease appears premature with launch not expected until next year. OpenAI remains vague about the device form factor.

Apple's upcoming "HomePad" combines smart speaker with display, roughly 6-inch square screen, serving as "command center for the home" with Apple Intelligence and HomeKit integration, likely launching in September alongside new iPhones.

Ive and Altman previously claimed their device would be a "completely new form factor" and "coolest piece of technology," but recent reporting suggests it may be just a smart speaker with camera similar to Visual Intelligence or Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

Latest clue from Joanna Stern's interview with OpenAI president Greg Brockman: he deflected questions to ChatGPT, didn't disagree with speaker reports, and said "We'll just have to see" when asked about a screen, possibly a pun.