Subtle signals from the world’s richest entrepreneur are once again stirring conversation across the tech industry, this time around the possibility of a smartphone unlike anything currently on the market.
Elon Musk has hinted that a Starlink-branded phone could exist in the future, adding another potential project to his expanding list of ventures that already includes an electric vehicle maker, a space company, a social media platform, and an AI startup. While there is no official announcement or product timeline, Musk’s recent social media response has kept speculation alive.
The discussion began on X when a user shared excitement about the idea, writing, “Starlink phone would be so sick.” Musk replied with a brief but notable response: “Not out of the question at some point.”
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, runs a large network of low-Earth orbit satellites that provide high-speed internet, especially in remote and underserved areas. A phone designed to connect directly to this satellite system could reduce reliance on traditional telecom networks and offer connectivity where regular mobile signals are unavailable.
Musk, however, suggested that such a device would not follow the traditional smartphone formula. Instead of focusing on cameras, entertainment apps, or routine design updates, the phone could take a completely different approach centered on artificial intelligence.
Sharing his vision, Musk said, “It would be a very different device than current phones. Optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets.”
This points toward deep use of Neural Processing Units, or NPUs, which are chips designed to handle AI tasks efficiently on the device itself. In real-world use, this could enable faster AI assistants, smarter automation, improved real-time processing, and lower power consumption compared to today’s smartphones.
Industry watchers see this idea as consistent with Musk’s broader focus on AI. From self-driving systems to space operations and chatbot development, artificial intelligence plays a central role across his companies. A phone designed around neural networks could act more like a portable AI computer than a standard communication device.
While the concept remains speculative, Musk’s track record of turning bold ideas into real products keeps interest high. If such a phone ever launches, it could challenge existing smartphone leaders by redefining what a mobile device is built to do.
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