The move comes as the smartphone market experiences a significant decline in North America, with iPhone sales falling 22% year-over-year. The new venture could potentially reinvigorate the market and consumer interest. Ive's involvement signals OpenAI's serious intent, given his past role as the lead designer of Apple’s most famous gadgets like the iPhone, iPad, and iMac.
Key takeaways:
- Former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are reportedly in talks to collaborate on a new kind of smartphone device, with $1 billion in backing from Masayoshi Son’s Softbank.
- The duo aims to create a device that provides a more “natural and intuitive way” to interact with AI, with the goal to make the “iPhone of artificial intelligence.”
- Smartphone sales have experienced a significant decline in North America, with iPhone sales falling 22% year-over-year, indicating a possible fatigue with the current tech gadgets.
- Jony Ive, who was the lead designer of Apple’s most famous gadgets like the iPhone, iPad, and iMac, left Apple in 2019 and his involvement with OpenAI indicates the company's seriousness about developing an innovative new piece of tech.