OpenAI will not use the name “io,” or any version of it, for its forthcoming AI hardware products. The company confirmed this in a court filing as part of an ongoing trademark infringement lawsuit.
The filing is part of a trademark case filed after OpenAI acquired famed Apple designer Jony Ive’s startup io. Alongside the branding decision, OpenAI also revealed that its first hardware device won’t ship to customers before the end of February 2027, which is a delay from the previously communicated target of a late 2026 product reveal.
What the Court Filing Says
In the filing, Peter Welinder, OpenAI’s vice president and general manager, said the company reviewed its naming strategy and chose to move on, stating that OpenAI had “reviewed its product-naming strategy and decided not to use the name ‘io’ or any variation of it in connection with the naming, advertising, marketing, or sale of any artificial intelligence-enabled hardware products,” as reported by Wired.
OpenAI has not created packaging, branding, or marketing materials for the first hardware product, according to the filings. The company argued that a previously scheduled April 2026 injunction hearing is unnecessary because the branding has been fully rethought. No replacement name has been announced, and OpenAI’s lawyers said a new name will be shared later.
The Legal Dispute Unfolded
OpenAI acquired Jony Ive’s consumer hardware subsidiary io in May 2025 for $6.5 billion, marking the company’s largest acquisition ever. Jony Ive and the LoveFrom creative collective had collaborated with OpenAI for two years before founding io.
Shortly after the acquisition was announced, audio device startup iyO, led by CEO Jason Rugolo and backed by Google, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against OpenAI. iyO argued that the “io” and “iyO” names were confusingly similar, particularly when spoken aloud, since the two are pronounced identically.
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson ruled back in June 2025 that iyO had a strong enough trademark infringement case to proceed to a hearing, and ordered Altman, Ive, and OpenAI to refrain from using the iyO mark, or any mark confusingly similar to it, including the IO mark, in connection with the marketing or sale of related products. OpenAI responded by taking down the io announcement page from its website.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed the district court’s temporary restraining order (TRO). The appellate court found that the marks “io” and “IYO” “only differ by one letter and are pronounced identically,” and that both companies are developing AI-powered devices intended to offer a new form of computing.
The court also found that a product doesn’t have to be on sale for infringement to occur, as OpenAI’s May 2025 announcement video was itself considered potentially infringing.
What the AI Hardware is Expected to Be
The company’s first prototype for its AI hardware is reportedly a screenless device that can sit on a user’s desk and accompany a phone and laptop, with rumors ruling out an in-ear product and a wearable. However, OpenAI has not publicly confirmed the final product category.
OpenAI continues to recruit Apple veterans to address hardware integration challenges. The team faces significant hurdles in perfecting form factor and core functionality for what the company has described as a “completely new concept.”
The Road Ahead for OpenAI
With the “io” name gone and the hardware launch pushed to at least February 2027, OpenAI is entering the next phase of its hardware push without a product name or public marketing materials in place.
It remains unclear whether OpenAI still plans to unveil the new device later in 2026 before shipping it in 2027. What is, however, clear is that the company is moving forward with its hardware ambitions under a name yet to be determined.
