Elon Musk is considering launching his own cell phone with direct connection to satellites: what the rumors say

According to a report from Reuters based on sources close to the company, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk It would be seriously evaluating the potential of manufacturing a device capable of connecting natively to its satellite network.

Apparently, it would not simply be a phone compatible with space services, but rather a device designed from the beginning to operate over the Starlink low orbit constellation.

The differential would be clear: direct connectivity to satellites without depending on traditional terrestrial networks. In practice, this would mean access to data and messaging in rural areasisolated regions or areas affected by natural disasters where cellular infrastructure is non-existent or out of service.

Today the ecosystem is already beginning to move in that direction. In the United States, the teleoperator T-Mobile maintains an alliance with Starlink that allows certain devices to send emergency messages via satellite. AND Apple took its first steps with limited satellite functions on iPhones, mainly for emergencies.

But SpaceX’s approach would be different: not add satellite connectivity as an “extra feature”, but make it the central axis of the device.

Sector specialists point out that the strategy would not aim to directly dispute the premium market with Apple or Samsung in traditional terms (design, cameras, ecosystem), but to differentiate itself on two specific fronts that are not abundant in current cell phones: massive, autonomous satellite connectivity and advanced artificial intelligence processing.

This last point connects with xAIthe artificial intelligence company created by Musk and recently merged with SpaceX. A smartphone of its own would allow AI-based services to be deeply integrated, without depending on operating systems or third-party platforms.

The move would fit with the plan that Musk has been applying in his companies: infrastructure (satellites), software (AI) and eventually hardware, all under the same ecosystem.

The context also plays in its favor. Satellite connectivity It stopped being experimental and is beginning to consolidate itself as a real complement to traditional mobile networks. More manufacturers are expected to incorporate expanded satellite support in the coming years. At the latest CES technology fair, the Chinese cell phone brand Infinix announced its first model with this cutting-edge feature.

Even Apple would be exploring expanding that capacity in future generations of the iPhone, with reports that point to a possible more robust 5G satellite integration on upcoming Pro modelsinitially in alliance with other operators and eventually compatible with infrastructure of Starlink.

However, there is a key difference: while other manufacturers add satellite functions as a backup, SpaceX would step forward precisely because it could bet that the satellite is the main network unlike what happens with conventional models and their connectivity with 4G and 5G networks.

From the technical point of view, the infrastructure already exists. Starlink operates thousands of satellites in low orbit and continues to expand its global coverage. Nevertheless, The challenge would not be technological, but at a commercial and regulatory level.since it will be necessary to have government approvals to operate mobile satellite communications.

The sources cited by Reuters indicate that the development would be in an advanced evaluation phase, but no official release date. For now, the project remains within the category of “strategy in analysis”.

Another reading began to circulate in specialized forums and among financial analysts: more than a simple hardware launch, the eventual device could function as tool to vertically consolidate businesses which today operate separately within SpaceX.

That is, not only add a new product, but directly capture the end user and reduce dependence on manufacturers and operating systems from third parties.

Some reports point to a different commercial scheme to the usual in the mobile industry. Instead of betting on the massive sale in retailthe model could be tied to integrated subscriptions or global service packageswith initial focus on markets where traditional connectivity is unstable or expensive.

That strategy would place him closer to a niche product with international projection than from a direct competitor in the premium segment.

Another hypothesis that is circulating is that the team would serve as test bench for new processing architectures linked to artificial intelligence developed by xAI. The idea would not be to stand out for cameras or design, but to experiment with hardware optimized for specific workloads, something that is not a priority in conventional smartphones today.

Musk himself tried to cool the versions by stating that there is no phone in development. However, the registration of trademarks associated with “Starlink Mobile” and the constant expansion of services linked to Starlink fuel the perception that the mobile market is part of the company’s strategic radar, even when there is no formal announcement.

For now, everything is moving in the speculation ground. But in a sector where differentiation is increasingly difficult and annual improvements are incremental, the possibility of an actor that combines space infrastructure, proprietary software and hardware under the same umbrella continues to generate expectations.