Apple Sues for Network Breach and Parts Smuggling: OpenAI Says Timeline Holds

Apple’s lawsuit alleging a network breach and parts smuggling has raised questions about timing for OpenAI’s first consumer device and its potential IPO, though OpenAI said it plans to keep its schedule. Three days after Apple filed a federal complaint for trade secret violations, OpenAI indicated it still aims to announce its first consumer device before the end of 2026 and ship it in 2027, noting that the assessment “could still change” while it processes Apple’s claims. Apple’s complaint, filed July 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, names OpenAI, its hardware unit io Products, hardware chief Tang Yew Tan, and former systems engineer Chang Liu. Apple alleges Tan used Apple confidential project code names in recruiting and directed candidates to bring unreleased components for show-and-tell sessions. It also alleges Liu exploited an authentication vulnerability discovered after resigning in early 2026.