- SpaceX is not developing a traditional smartphone
- Musk envisions a future device centered on AI rather than apps
- Starlink’s focus is direct satellite connectivity to existing phones
- Any future hardware would be radically different from today’s phones
Rumors about a Starlink phone refuse to die, even after Elon Musk has publicly said SpaceX is not building one. The confusion comes from the gap between what Musk is denying and what he keeps hinting at.
There may be no conventional smartphone in development, but there is clearly a broader idea taking shape around satellite connectivity, artificial intelligence, and what a future “phone” might actually be.
According to a recent Reuters report citing sources familiar with SpaceX’s plans, the company has explored concepts that include a Starlink phone, direct-to-device satellite internet, and even space-based data services.
The suggestion was that such a phone could help SpaceX enter new markets and tie into its long-term ambitions for orbital infrastructure. That framing made headlines quickly, but it also prompted a swift response from Musk himself.
After the report circulated on X, Musk pushed back bluntly. He said SpaceX is not developing a phone. On the surface, that seems like a firm denial. Look closer, though, and it becomes clear that Musk is rejecting the idea of a traditional smartphone rather than dismissing mobile hardware altogether.
Why Musk says no while leaving the door open
This is not the first time Musk has addressed the idea of a Starlink phone, and his language has consistently been careful. Earlier this year, he wrote that such a device was “not out of the question at some point,” but emphasized it would look nothing like today’s phones. That distinction matters.
Musk has repeatedly argued that current smartphones are weighed down by bloated operating systems, power hungry apps, and inefficient hardware. In his view, the future device people carry will be stripped down and purpose built.
It would exist primarily to run AI models as efficiently as possible while relying on cloud or satellite infrastructure for connectivity.
That helps explain the apparent contradiction. When Musk says SpaceX is not building a phone, he likely means it is not working on a conventional handset designed to compete with Apple or Samsung. At the same time, he is openly describing a different class of device that could eventually make phones as we know them feel obsolete.
An AI first vision of mobile technology
Musk’s most detailed comments on this subject came during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. There, he suggested that the idea of a phone itself may disappear. Instead, what we call a phone would become an edge device for AI inference, equipped with radios to connect to networks like Starlink.
In that model, apps and operating systems fade into the background. The interface becomes conversational and generative, with AI creating experiences on demand rather than users tapping through icons. Hardware is optimized for neural networks and energy efficiency rather than screen resolution or camera specs.
This idea lines up neatly with SpaceX’s existing partnerships and filings. Starlink is already working with T Mobile to deliver satellite connectivity directly to standard smartphones, without specialized hardware.
SpaceX has also filed trademarks related to mobile services and Musk has said one of his goals is full cellular coverage everywhere on Earth.
Put together, these moves suggest that SpaceX’s priority is not building a phone, but redefining what mobile connectivity and mobile computing look like.
What SpaceX is actually focused on right now
For now, SpaceX’s concrete efforts are centered on expanding Starlink’s reach. The company continues to deploy satellites at an aggressive pace and is pushing toward seamless satellite to phone communication using existing devices.
That alone could be transformative, particularly for remote regions, emergency services, and areas with poor terrestrial infrastructure.
Reuters claims that internal discussions about mobile devices have been happening for years, and that may well be true. But discussion does not equal development. SpaceX has a long history of exploring ideas years before deciding whether they are worth turning into products.
If a Starlink branded device ever emerges, it is likely to be born out of necessity rather than competition. It would exist because existing phones cannot do what Musk wants them to do efficiently enough, not because SpaceX wants a slice of the consumer electronics market.
The bottom line
So, is Starlink making a phone? No, at least not in the way most people imagine. But is SpaceX thinking deeply about the future of mobile devices, satellite connectivity, and AI driven hardware? Absolutely.
Musk’s comments make it clear that he sees today’s smartphone as a temporary solution, not an endpoint.
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