‘Not developing a phone’: Elon Musk shuts down reports of SpaceX Starlink device | Technology News
2 min readNew DelhiFeb 6, 2026 07:27 PM IST
Elon Musk has shut down rumours that SpaceX is planning to launch a Starlink-enabled phone. Recently, Reuters reported that SpaceX, the billionaire’s aerospace and AI company, is planning to launch a Starlink-connected phone.
Now, Musk has clarified in a reply to a post on his microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) that SpaceX is “not developing a phone.” The billionaire’s response came in reply to a X user named Mark Kretschmann, who shared the Reuters report hinting at the same.
Replying to a X user talking about a speculative Starlink-connected phone, Musk had previously said that such a device was “not out of the question at some point.” The multi-billionaire added that “it would be a very different device than current phones. Optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets.”
Citing three people familiar with the matter, the publication said that the mobile device might potentially connect with Starlink’s satellite internet constellation and potentially rival smartphones.
SpaceX is currently the world’s largest satellite operator, providing more than nine million users with broadband internet. The company also has contracts with the US government and military-grade satellite network Starshield.
SpaceX has collaborated with US mobile service provider T-Mobile to offer direct-to-direct internet service in the US, bringing internet connectivity to the most remote regions in the country. The company is also reportedly in talks with Apple to bring satellite connectivity to the iPhone.
It looks like the Musk-led aerospace company will focus on partnerships with mobile operators and not enter the crowded phone segment. With smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Google already shipping their latest flagships with satellite connectivity support, it won’t be surprising if Starlink-powered internet connectivity comes to the remotest parts of Earth in the coming years.
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