According to TechCrunch, OpenAI has launched a $230 keyboard called Codex Micro for its AI coding assistant, even as Apple sues the company over alleged trade-secret theft tied to a separate screenless smart speaker reportedly designed by former Apple engineers.
What Are the Specs and Positioning of OpenAI's Codex Micro Keyboard?
OpenAI has entered the hardware market with a $230 light-up keyboard designed to pair with Codex, its AI coding assistant, according to TechCrunch. The device, called Codex Micro, was co-designed with specialty keyboard maker Work Louder and is being marketed as a way for ChatGPT users to manage their fleets of AI coding agents, per TechCrunch.
The keyboard comes equipped with light-up "Agent Keys" that display agent status, customizable "Command Keys" that serve as shortcuts for frequent Codex actions, and a joystick for launching common workflows, TechCrunch reports. It also includes a dial that adjusts how much "reasoning" an agent applies to a given task.
Despite the retail launch, OpenAI told TechCrunch in an email that the Micro is a limited-run collaboration, describing it as more of a novelty item than a product designed for mass appeal.
What Is OpenAI's First Standalone Hardware Device, and When Will It Ship?
Separately from the Codex Micro keyboard, Bloomberg has reported that OpenAI's first proper hardware product will be a portable, screenless smart speaker, according to a report cited by Inside.com.tw. The device is positioned as a new-generation "home computer" for the AI era.
According to Inside.com.tw, the speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery so it can be carried between rooms, and it features mechanical elements that can move on their own, giving the device "a sense of presence as if alive rather than a purely passive command responder." It can control smart home appliances, play media, answer questions, handle messages, and is designed to learn about its owner over time, per the same report.
The device's conversational ability will be built on GPT-Live, an advanced voice mode OpenAI launched this month, Inside.com.tw reports. The speaker is planned to be unveiled later this year with a full shipment targeted for 2027. TechCrunch separately notes that this new device is reportedly being designed by former Apple engineers — the same company currently suing OpenAI over trade-secret allegations.
What Does Apple's Lawsuit Against OpenAI Allege?
Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the company's senior leadership of a deliberate strategy to extract Apple's confidential information and alleging that OpenAI used that information in developing its own hardware device, according to TechCrunch. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing.
Inside.com.tw reports that Apple filed the suit on July 10, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint specifically names OpenAI's hardware chief, Tang Tan, a former Apple vice president, alleging he asked Apple employees who came in for interviews to reveal confidential information during the process. The filing also alleges OpenAI instructed departing Apple employees on how to evade security audits, and claims one employee who left for OpenAI was accused of stealing an Apple laptop.
What Is the History Between Apple and OpenAI, and How Much Talent Has Moved Between Them?
The two companies formed a high-profile partnership in 2024, but relations have since turned adversarial, according to Inside.com.tw. The turning point came when OpenAI announced its move into hardware last year by acquiring io Products — the startup founded by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive — for approximately $6.5 billion.
Apple's lawsuit further asserts that more than 400 former Apple employees are now working at OpenAI, per Inside.com.tw, underscoring the scale of talent movement between the two companies ahead of the legal dispute.
Could Apple's Lawsuit Delay OpenAI's Hardware Plans?
Apple is not seeking monetary damages alone. According to Inside.com.tw, Apple is also asking the court to issue an injunction against OpenAI's hardware plans — a request that, if granted, could directly delay the launch timeline of the screenless smart speaker described by Bloomberg.
How Has OpenAI Responded to Apple's Allegations?
OpenAI has pushed back on the accusations. "We have no interest in the trade secrets of other companies and will remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers everyone," the company said in a statement cited by Inside.com.tw.
How Large Is Codex's User Base?
While the hardware dispute unfolds, Codex itself has been gaining users. Weekly active users of Codex surpassed 5 million as of early June, according to Inside.com.tw — a figure that frames the Codex Micro keyboard launch as tied to a product with an already sizable user base rather than a speculative side project.
Key Figures at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Codex Micro keyboard price | $230 | TechCrunch |
| io Products acquisition cost | ~$6.5 billion | Inside.com.tw |
| Former Apple employees now at OpenAI | 400+ | Inside.com.tw |
| Codex weekly active users (as of June 1) | 5 million+ | Inside.com.tw |
| Lawsuit filing date | July 10, 2026 | Inside.com.tw |
What This Means
The timeline laid out across these reports shows two OpenAI hardware efforts moving on parallel tracks: the $230 Codex Micro keyboard, which OpenAI itself describes as a limited-run novelty rather than a mass-market product, and the screenless smart speaker targeted for a 2027 shipment, which Apple's July 10 lawsuit and injunction request could directly delay. The 400-plus former Apple employees now at OpenAI, combined with specific allegations against hardware chief Tang Tan, form the core of Apple's claim that its confidential information fed into that speaker's development — an allegation OpenAI has denied while stating it has no interest in other companies' trade secrets. Meanwhile, the Codex Micro launch proceeds against the backdrop of a product, Codex, that Inside.com.tw reports already has more than 5 million weekly active users, suggesting the keyboard's release is not occurring in a vacuum but alongside an established user base — even as the company's larger hardware ambitions face active legal risk.