A rumor about OpenAI ear wearables has now become much more concrete, at least on paper. Smart Pikachu, a leaker focused on the supply chain, claims OpenAI is in development of a wearable audio product that will be worn on the ear rather than in your pocket.
The same posts codename the project Sweetpea and describe a behind-the-ear setup with most of the hardware sitting out of sight. Smaller parts are said to come off, making it look less like regular earbuds and more like a wearable that you wear over long distances.
OpenAI has not confirmed the hardware and the key fundamentals are still missing. There’s no price, no final name, and no clear plan for where it will launch first.
The design cues are the catch
What makes this rumor stick is the physical description. A behind-the-ear fit can solve problems that strain tiny earbuds, such as: B. Stability during movements, microphone placement and comfort when worn for hours.
A split image looks like a component layout and includes labels indicating skin contact and signal pickup, as well as an ultrasound transmitter. If this image is authentic, the OpenAI Ear wearable may be able to play more than just audio. It could be designed to listen and perceive, even in small increments, which would explain why the form factor isn’t just another AirPods clone.
A change of supplier signals ambition
Smart Pikachu also claims that the project shifted production plans from Luxshare to Foxconn, citing Vietnam as the preferred production location and avoiding China for this construction.
Discussions of this type with suppliers usually take place when a product is being planned at real scale. That doesn’t prove the device is coming, but it does suggest the effort is being treated like a consumer launch rather than a lab experiment.
What to watch next
If the timeline floating in the posts is close to each other, the next tells should come in handy. Better images, clearer fit details, and regulatory documentation would help confirm how this wearable device handles microphones, wind noise, and everyday comfort.
There are also claims of high-performance silicon and a mix of standard and custom chips. That will determine whether Sweetpea is essentially a phone companion or a more powerful headset that can handle more processing on its own. Once another credible source supports the behind-the-ear design, it shifts from observing rumors to predicting the shopping season.
