Elon Musk Won’t Challenge Samsung With a Starlink Phone Just Yet

Elon Musk recently built excitement with comments about a possible Starlink phone that would be very different than than today’s smartphones. But just days later, the entrepreneur shut down rumors about its development circulating on the web. So, for now, Samsung and other smartphone makers have nothing to worry about.

Musk shuts down rumors about the Starlink phone

Last week, Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of introducing a Starlink phone. In response to a user’s comment that read, “Starlink phone would be so sick,” Musk replied, “Not out of the question at some point.” He added that it would be a very different device from current phones and optimized purely for running max performance/ watt neural nets.

This week, a Reuters report added more insight into those comments, suggesting that SpaceX is planning to increase its Starlink business ahead of a potential IPO. As such, the company will make a Starlink satellite internet constellation-connected mobile device that could rival existing smartphones. However, the report said that details about the device’s design or development timeline were unclear.

After the report, many assumed Musk was gearing up to launch a Starlink-branded phone. But the SpaceX CEO has now refuted those claims. Replying to a post on X that pointed out the Reuters story, Musk wrote: “We are not developing a phone.” This suggests that despite earlier hints, there is currently no Starlink smartphone in the works.

As of now, SpaceX is focusing on making Starlink’s connectivity available to mobile devices through partnerships. For example, the company has teamed up with T-Mobile to bring satellite connectivity directly to smartphones, including Galaxy Phones. This allows users to text message and share locations in areas without cellular coverage.

Meanwhile, Musk’s companies continue to work with Samsung in other business segments. For example, last year, Tesla and Samsung inked a deal for the production of the car maker’s next-generation AI chips.