Latest news with #HumaneAIPin
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Forget smart glasses, how about smart jewellery?
Agencies Samsung is looking into new wearable devices, potentially including earrings and necklaces, amid an industry-wide push to develop new types of AI-powered consumer electronics. AI could enable a new wave of devices that allow users to communicate and get things done more quickly without having to take out a phone, Won-joon Choi, chief operating officer for Samsung's mobile experience division, told CNN this week. For Samsung, these types of new devices could be something you wear around your neck, dangle from your ears or slip on your finger. 'We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry,' he said. 'So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings and sometimes (a) necklace.' Choi's comments underscore the opportunity tech giants see to develop new hardware products around AI, a technology that some say is expected to be as impactful as the internet itself. AI services like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini have moved beyond basic text prompts and are getting better at handling complex tasks. That's led tech giants to look into devices that require less manual input than smartphones, which largely require typing and swiping on screens. That search is already in full swing, starting with smart glasses. Meta has touted its AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, of which 2 million have been sold since 2023, as a success. The Facebook parent also recently acquired a minority stake in Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica, according to Bloomberg, further indicating the company's interest in AI-powered wearable gadgets. Samsung, Google and Snap are also developing smart glasses, while OpenAI and ex-Apple designer Jony Ive are collaborating on a mysterious new AI device for next year. On whether Samsung is actively looking into developing earrings or other smart jewelry, like a pendant or bracelet, Choi said the company is 'looking at all kinds of possibilities'. 'What do you wear? Glasses, earrings… necklaces, watches and rings, something like those,' he said. However, that doesn't mean those possibilities will become products. Samsung and other tech companies routinely develop prototypes and evaluate new technologies internally without bringing them to market. Some tech startups have already unsuccessfully tried to develop new AI gadgets to replace smartphones at certain tasks. The Humane AI Pin, created by a pair of Apple veterans, flopped because of its high price and buggy performance. The company shut down the product and sold parts of itself to computing giant HP in February. Another device called the Rabbit R1 also launched to a lackluster reception last year, although it's undergone significant updates since then. And a startup called Friend created an AI necklace that's meant to be a digital companion, although its launch has been delayed until the third quarter of this year. Samsung's approach, unlike some of these options, will involve a device that's a companion to your phone rather than a standalone product, similar to the company's smartwatches, according to Choi. And the company's upcoming smart glasses, which it hasn't revealed many details about yet, could be just the start. 'We are actively working on glasses, but some people do not want to wear glasses because they change their look,' he said. 'So we are also exploring other types of devices.'
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI's First AI Device Won't Be Wearable, Launch Delayed to 2026
OpenAI's highly anticipated hardware collaboration with iconic designer Jony Ive is still a work in progress, and recent court documents have offered fresh insights. The device, OpenAI's first foray into physical products, won't be hitting the market before 2026 — and it's definitely not going to be something you wear. According to filings revealed amid a legal dispute with a Google-backed startup called iyO, OpenAI's upcoming AI gadget will neither be a wearable nor an in-ear device. That puts early speculation to rest, which had suggested something similar to smart glasses or the Humane AI Pin. Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple executive, stated in court, 'It is not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' Instead, the device is envisioned to be something that 'fits in your pocket or sits on your desk.' Tan also noted the design is still evolving and that the launch is at least a year away. That hints at a form factor potentially closer to a smart home assistant or portable desktop gadget. The project has been the subject of much intrigue since OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's company, IO Products, for $6.5 billion in May 2025. CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees the device could become OpenAI's most important product ever, with an ambitious sales target of 100 million units. Despite denying any wearable intentions, internal communications suggest OpenAI was initially interested in ergonomic techniques like ear scanning, which iyO uses to customize its earpieces. One hardware team member even floated the idea of acquiring a database of ear scans. However, Tang Tan ultimately declined iyO's proposals to invest, collaborate, or buy the company for as much as $200 million. In a legal declaration, Evans Hankey, another ex-Apple executive leading design at OpenAI, reaffirmed: 'io has no current plans to offer a custom-moulded earpiece product.' Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in as well, suggesting that the mystery device may resemble the compact iPod Shuffle and could even be smaller than Humane's AI Pin. He added it likely won't include a screen, instead using built-in cameras and microphones to interact with the environment. Kuo believes the device will pair with smartphones and computers for processing and display, rather than operating entirely independently. He also noted that manufacturing will take place in Vietnam, potentially as a strategy to avoid geopolitical risks tied to China. Investor Laurene Powell Jobs, a backer of both Ive's ventures, reportedly previewed a prototype and described it as 'a wondrous thing to behold.' Ive himself shared that the device 'reignited his optimism about technology,' adding, 'humanity deserves better' than screen-heavy devices. OpenAI had previously shared promotional content about the partnership and acquisition, but it was quietly removed following the trademark complaint by iyO. A spokesperson for Jony Ive dismissed the trademark dispute as 'utterly baseless' and confirmed they plan to contest it in court.
India Today
24-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
OpenAI's first AI device with Jony Ive will not be a wearable, won't ship until at least 2026
OpenAI recently announced that it is working on its first-ever AI hardware device, which it is developing in partnership with legendary designer Jony Ive. Now, since the device is still in its early stages, we don't know yet what it would be. But thanks to some recent court filings, we know what it will not to court documents that were spotted by TechCrunch, OpenAI's debut AI hardware product will not be a wearable or an in-ear gadget. The documents also reveal that the device is unlikely to launch before 2026. advertisementThe details have come to light amid a legal dispute between OpenAI and a Google-backed startup called iyO, which has filed a trademark complaint against the use of the 'io' name. While the court fight over branding continues, the public filings have offered a rare glimpse into OpenAI's first hardware product. Despite early speculation that the device could take the form of smart glasses or something similar to the Humane AI Pin, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan has confirmed the product is 'not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' Tan, a former Apple executive, added in his statement to the court that the device's design is still evolving. He said it will be something that 'fits in your pocket or sits on your desk,' and that it's at least a year away from launch. Could it be a smart home device? has been hyping the project since it acquired Jony Ive's company IO Products for $6.5 billion, in May 2025. Altman has reportedly told OpenAI staff that the device could be the most significant product the company has ever launched, with a goal of selling 100 million repeated claims that the device won't go in the ear or be worn, internal emails have reportedly shown that OpenAI was particularly curious about the ear-scanning process used by iyO to customise its earpieces. In fact, a member of OpenAI's hardware team apparently even suggested buying a database of ear scans from iyO's vendor as a 'helpful starting point on ergonomics.' However, Tan eventually rejected iyO's pitches to partner, invest, or even buy the company for up to $200 Hankey, another former Apple executive now leading the design at OpenAI, made it clear in her court declaration: 'io has no current plans to offer a custom-moulded earpiece product.'Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also shared his predictions for the device. Last month, he shared a post saying that he believes the OpenAI hardware device will have a compact form factor – reminiscent of the iPod Shuffle – and might even be smaller than the Humane AI Pin. The device reportedly won't feature a screen but will rely on built-in cameras and microphones to understand its surroundings. That sounds like another hint that it could be similar to a smart home device? Something like an Amazon Echo Dot. advertisementAdditionally, Kuo predicts that instead of functioning independently, the device will connect to smartphones and computers for processing power and display use. Kuo also stated that OpenAI plans to assemble the product in Vietnam to avoid geopolitical tensions associated with Chinese and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, who supports both Jony Ive's design firm and IO Products, reportedly saw a prototype of the device and called it 'a wondrous thing to behold.' Ive himself has said the project has 'reignited his optimism about technology' and expressed that 'humanity deserves better' than current screen-based had initially published promotional material about the partnership and acquisition on its website, but this was quietly removed following the trademark complaint by iyO. The company confirmed the takedown was related to the ongoing legal case. A spokesperson for Ive called the complaint 'utterly baseless' and said they plan to contest it. - Ends
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
OpenAI pulls details of Jony Ive partnership amid trademark dispute
What started with the sudden disappearance of a website and a slick promo video over the weekend quickly sparked speculation online. Was the $6.5 billion deal in trouble?Turns out, yes at least legally. Spokespeople for both OpenAI and Ive confirmed that the takedown was due to a trademark dispute . The issue? A company named IYO Inc., which is also working on AI devices, has taken OpenAI to court, asking a judge to block the use of the 'IO' Bloomberg first reported, the case is now under review. So while the partnership between OpenAI and Ive isn't officially off the table, the branding and the rollout are on takedown of all marketing material comes just weeks after OpenAI grabbed headlines in May for acquiring IO Products the hush-hush AI hardware startup co-founded by legendary former Apple designer Jony Ive , the mind behind the iPhone, iMac, and more. The move signaled a major pivot for OpenAI, marking its first big step beyond software and into the world of physical the deal was first announced, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it the beginning of 'a new family of products,' with plans to launch the company's first AI hardware device within a year. Details around the design and features were tightly under wraps, but internally, Altman was bullish reportedly telling employees that OpenAI could move up to 100 million units. A bold bet, and a clear sign of just how much faith he had in the Ive didn't hold back on ambition. Internally, he reportedly told staff that acquiring Ive's company could one day add $1 trillion to OpenAI's valuation. 'This is the biggest thing we've ever done as a company,' he the time of the announcement, Altman and Ive published a now-deleted joint blog post on OpenAI's website, saying: 'It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer, and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company.'OpenAI had already owned 23% of IO from an earlier collaboration, and paid an additional $5 billion in equity to fully acquire the startup. Public records show IO was incorporated in Delaware in September 2023, and registered in California in April hardware division will be led by OpenAI's Peter Welinder, best known for his work in robotics and experimental products. He'll oversee a team drawn from across hardware, software, manufacturing, and research all working closely with OpenAI's core engineering teams in San details remain scarce, this partnership has been years in the making. Altman and Ive reportedly started working together quietly in early 2023. By February 2025, Altman had begun publicly teasing plans for an 'AI-first device.'What that device could look like is still anyone's guess. Some believe it might follow the path of gadgets like the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1. Others speculate it could be smart glasses, in-car AI systems or even robotic interfaces.
Mint
23-06-2025
- Mint
Can AI earbuds replace Google Assistant or Alexa? Here's what they can (and can't) do
Do you really know about AI earbuds? Have you ever heard of them before? If not, they are real and far more useful than you might expect. Spend a few minutes with them and you will see that they are not some futuristic illusion. Yes, you can talk to them. These tiny devices are capable of holding real conversations, translating what you say and handling tasks without a screen or a wake word. They understand what you say and react accordingly. You can assign a task to them. Suppose you're walking to your office and suddenly realise you forgot to reply to the meeting invite. Even without taking out your phone, you can simply say, 'Reply yes to the 3PM meeting,' and a second later, it's done. No typing needed, no screen required. This is not a scene from the future. This is what these AI earbuds are capable of. But as these gadgets promise smarter, more natural interactions, the big question is: can they really take the place of voice assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa? Let's find out where they stand and where they still fall short. What can AI earbuds do today? These earbuds in simple terms are wireless earphones that are capable of doing much more than playing music. They understand what you say, talk back to you, take notes, and help you with your everyday tasks just by using your voice. You can do all this without needing to touch your phone or look at a screen. That's what makes these AI earbuds different from regular ones and a step closer to how we might use technology in the near future. For example, earbuds like Nothing Ear (a) with chat GPT integration or Humane AI Pin let you do more than just playing or pausing music. With them you can actually talk to them like an assistant. You can ask them to give you a summary of the meeting, translate a message to some other language, or give directions all through your own voice. These devices remember what you said, so you don't have to repeat yourself. Unlike older voice assistants, there is no need to start from the beginning. Places where these earbuds still lag behind Despite having the wow factors, these are not yet ready to control your smart home. If you try telling them to turn off your lights or start your washing machine, they won't be able to do it. Devices like Alexa or Google Assistant are still better at handling smart home commands because they are deeply connected to other gadgets in your home. Another issue which we can face with AI earbuds is that they mostly rely on the internet. So if your connection is weak or you are in an area where signals are poor then they might not work at all. On the other hand voice assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa can still perform some actions with a strong internet connection. Also, these AI earbuds don't always work smoothly with common apps . For example, if you ask them to play a song from the Spotify app, send a WhatsApp message, or set a timer on YouTube might not go as smoothly as it does with a regular voice assistant. They're getting better, but they are not quite there yet. So, can AI earbuds fully replace Google Assistant or Alexa? Not yet. But they're not trying to be the same. Instead of controlling your entire house, these earbuds focus on personal use. They help with tasks, answer questions, reply to messages, translate on the go, and take quick notes while you're travelling. For all these reasons, AI earbuds are a smart tool to have when you're on the move. For managing your home though, Google Assistant or Alexa still does the job better.
