OpenAI Fast-Tracks AI Smartphone to 2027 With Custom MediaTek Chip [Kuo]

OpenAI is speeding up the timeline for its first smartphone. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now expects the device to hit mass production as early as the first half of 2027, moving the target up by a full year.



Just last month, Kuo projected the hardware wouldn't arrive until 2028. He points to a couple of reasons for the accelerated schedule. OpenAI is facing heavier competition in the AI hardware space, and pulling the phone forward helps strengthen the company's narrative ahead of a planned IPO later this year.


Kuo also reiterates key hardware details. MediaTek is currently positioned to be the sole processor supplier, providing a custom version of the Dimensity 9600. That chip will be manufactured using TSMC's enhanced N2P node in the second half of 2026, building on the same 2-nanometer class process Apple is expected to adopt for future silicon.

The standout specification is the image signal processor. Kuo notes it features an enhanced HDR pipeline tuned for real-world visual sensing, positioning it as a core component for AI-driven functionality.

Under the hood, the phone uses a dual-NPU architecture to manage complex AI workloads. To keep data moving efficiently, it pairs LPDDR6 memory with UFS 5.0 storage, while relying on pKVM and inline hashing for security. If development holds to this new timeline, Kuo estimates OpenAI could ship around 30 million units across 2027 and 2028.