After establishing a dominant position in the generative AI software field, OpenAI is attempting to extend its influence to hardware terminals. However, the AI giant's first consumer device is facing adjustments due to &#34;specification downgrades.&#34;
Due to the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost surge caused by the global storage chip crisis, this device, which carries OpenAI's ambition for &#34;edge intelligence,&#34; is likely to be downgraded to a cloud-dependent &#34;basic headset&#34; at launch.
<h2>From &#34;Independent Terminal&#34; to &#34;Basic Headset&#34;</h2>
According to the well-known tech leak source Smart Pikachu, OpenAI's first hardware, internally codenamed &#34;Sweetpea,&#34; has been named &#34;Dime&#34; for the consumer market.
The original technical blueprint for this product was highly disruptive: it was planned to be equipped with Samsung's 2nm process Exynos chip, granting the headset smartphone-like independent computing power for complex edge AI processing. However, this vision is hitting a &#34;cost wall&#34; in the supply chain. The ongoing high prices of storage components have led to uncontrollable BOM costs for high-spec chip solutions.
Out of commercial rationality, OpenAI is forced to adjust its strategy. Smart Pikachu revealed that the first generation of Dime may strip away the &#34;smartphone-like&#34; high computing power attributes, reverting to a &#34;simple headset&#34; product form.
This means that the anticipated &#34;portable AI computing center&#34; will be delayed, and the initial product is likely to merely serve as a conduit for cloud-based large models.
<h2>Manufactured in Vietnam with a 50 Million Unit Target</h2>
Despite the compromise in product definition, OpenAI's commercial push is exceptionally aggressive. Company executive Lehane clearly listed hardware as the highest priority project at the Davos Forum.
According to a previous report by Taiwan's Economic Daily, OpenAI is likely to officially launch the product in September 2026, possibly produced by Foxconn in Vietnam, with a sales target of 40 to 50 million units in the first year.
<h2>Second Consumer Device</h2>
In addition to the headset, OpenAI is also developing a second consumer device codenamed &#34;Gumdrop.&#34; This device resembles a pen or an Apple iPod Shuffle, featuring a screenless design and focusing on environmental perception and interaction. Its core functions include:
<ul>
<li>Contextual awareness through cameras and microphones;</li>
<li>Running locally customized AI models, supplemented by cloud computing support;</li>
<li>Supporting the instant conversion of handwritten notes into text and uploading them to ChatGPT;</li>
<li>Having inter-device communication capabilities similar to smartphones.</li>
</ul>
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OpenAI plans to launch its first consumer-grade hardware "Dime," but due to the global storage chip crisis, the product specifications may be downgraded to a cloud-dependent "basic headset." The design originally intended to feature a high-performance Exynos chip has been forced to adjust, and the initial product release will be delayed in achieving the goal of a "portable AI computing center." Despite the challenges, OpenAI still views hardware as a priority project, with an expected release in September 2026 and a target sales volume of 40 to 50 million units. At the same time, OpenAI is also developing a second device "Gumdrop."

- OpenAI aims to extend its influence in hardware but faces challenges with its first consumer device, potentially downgraded to a "basic headset" due to rising BOM costs amid a global storage chip crisis.  
- Initially, the device, codenamed "Sweetpea" and named "Dime," was intended to feature advanced computation capabilities but must now scale back to a simpler design reliant on cloud processing.  
- Despite these adjustments, OpenAI plans to aggressively market Dime, with a release scheduled for September 2026, aiming for 40 to 50 million units manufactured by Foxconn in Vietnam.

OpenAI's first hardware is coming, but it may be "not so AI"?