Recent reports suggested the smartphone industry might be getting a new player. However, it seems things won’t turn out quite that way. Instead, OpenAI’s first hardware product could already have a competitor in development. More specifically, Elon Musk directly confirmed that his companies SpaceX and Starlink aren’t working on a phone, but another recent response points to a potential AI-powered device.
On X (FKA Twitter), Elon Musk responded to recent rumors about a “Starlink Phone” with a plain and direct: “We are not developing a phone.” However, this denial does not mean the company is staying idle.
No Starlink/SpaceX phone, but AI-powered device “teased”
If it isn’t a phone, what is it? Musk hinted in late January (via Phonearena) that any mobile hardware from his companies would be “optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural networks.” In plain terms, this means the device would focus on running artificial intelligence models, whether purely local or cloud assisted.
If it is a product based on local AI processing, it would be a true tech milestone. Most current smartphones rely on the cloud to process complex AI tasks. By designing hardware specifically for neural networks, Musk’s companies could create a device that handles AI—like his own chatbot, Grok—faster and more efficiently than a standard handset. With SpaceX recently acquiring the AI startup xAI, the pieces are falling into place for a dedicated “Grok-in-your-pocket” experience.
Connectivity beyond cell towers
The real differentiator for this mystery device is its potential satellite link. Reuters says that the hardware would connect directly to the Starlink satellite constellation. This would let people stay connected in places where regular cell towers don’t work.
SpaceX has already tested this idea by working with T-Mobile to connect phones to satellites. A dedicated Starlink device would probably take this even further by providing a seamless, global internet connection that doesn’t have the same problems as ground-based carriers..
The race for the next AI device
Musk isn’t the only one trying to move past the traditional smartphone slab. The tech industry is currently obsessed with “AI-first” hardware. OpenAI is working with former Apple designer Jony Ive on a mysterious AI device. Plus, other startups have tried (and often failed) to launch AI pins and handheld assistants.
The challenge for SpaceX will be proving that people actually want to carry something that isn’t a phone. While many find current smartphones boring, they are incredibly versatile. To succeed, a Starlink AI device would need to offer something truly indispensable—perhaps the combination of unblockable satellite internet and a high-performance, private AI that works everywhere on Earth.
That said, don’t expect SpaceX and Starlink to launch a possible AI device anytime soon. Musk’s post says that the project is “not out of the question at some point.” This means that even if it is being worked on, it’s still in its early stages. For now, we’ll just have to wait for more information about it.
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