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OpenAI launches first hardware device, a Codex Micro keyboard, as Apple sues over trade secrets
OpenAI officially entered the consumer‑hardware market on 16 July 2026 with the Codex Micro, a limited‑edition $230 miniature keyboard (or macro pad) built with the keyboard maker Work Louder. The device is aimed at developers using OpenAI’s Codex AI coding assistant and features 13 mechanical switches, RGB‑lit “Agent” keys that indicate the status of AI agents, a joystick, a rotary dial for adjusting the model’s reasoning level and a set of 32 custom keycaps. It ships in both clicky and silent versions, connects via Bluetooth or USB‑C and is slated for shipment around 24 July.
The launch comes amid a federal lawsuit filed by Apple in California accusing OpenAI, two former Apple engineers and the hardware startup io Products (founded by former Apple chief Jony Ive) of illegally acquiring Apple’s unpublished product designs, engineering documents and supply‑chain details. Apple seeks an injunction, destruction of any proprietary material and a redesign of any future OpenAI hardware that incorporates Apple technology. OpenAI has denied the allegations and says it does not intend to use competitors’ trade secrets.
Earlier media speculation had suggested OpenAI’s first consumer device might be a screen‑less, movable smart speaker, but the actual product released is the Codex Micro keyboard, which serves as a “command centre” for AI‑agent workflows while the broader hardware strategy remains under development.