SpaceX is fast becoming a pivotal cornerstone of Elon Musk's almost unbounded space-related ambitions. Just last week, the mega-billionaire effected the $250 billion acquisition of xAI by SpaceX, bestowing a valuation of $1 trillion on SpaceX in the process and unlocking the preliminary stages of AI datacenters in space.
Yet, Elon Musk's ambitions vis-à-vis SpaceX continue to grow, and might soon encompass a dedicated Starlink phone.
SpaceX might launch a dedicated Starlink phone to corner the market for satellite-connected devices
As per a report from Reuters, SpaceX is mulling the launch of a dedicated Starlink phone, quoting three different sources on the subject.
To add heft to this speculation, Elon Musk had responded with a terse "not out of the question at some point" statement when asked about the possibility of a Starlink phone last week. Going on to note:
"It would be a very different device than current phones. Optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets."
This statement suggests that the Starlink phone from SpaceX would be more similar to a range of upcoming consumer AI devices from OpenAI than a traditional smartphone.
Of course, SpaceX already works with T-Mobile to bring Starlink-based connectivity to devices leveraging the T-Mobile network. However, SpaceX's plans for a dedicated phone extend well beyond the traditional sense of the word.
Meanwhile, as we noted recently, SpaceX has now filed a new request with the FCC, asking for the authorization to launch and operate a "constellation of a million satellites that operate as orbital data centers."
Basically, SpaceX wants to harness the round-the-clock solar energy that is available in space to power AI-related compute functions. This strategy closely mimics the one that a Type II civilization on the Kardashev scale would presumably deploy, replete with a Dyson sphere - a megastructure of solar panels that completely surrounds a star, thereby harnessing nearly all of its energy output. Here though, the satellites would orbit the Earth instead of the Sun.
This comes as SpaceX just received authorization from the FCC to operate up to 15,000 of its second-generation (Gen2) Starlink satellites. This means that the company can now launch around 7,500 new satellites to bring its total second-gen strength to 15,000 units.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, SpaceX's Gen2 Starlink satellites offer a higher capacity and lower latency, while allowing for:
- A 20x increase in throughput
- Direct-to-Cell capability by allowing Gen2 satellites to connect to unmodified cellular handsets.
- Greater orbital maneuverability and an autonomous collision avoidance system.
Moreover, there is an increasing likelihood that SpaceX's Starlink will power the direct-to-cell connectivity feature of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, next-gen iPhones are expected to support 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology, which allows cell towers to use satellites to extend their coverage.
Update: Elon Musk confirms that a Starlink phone is not in the offing right now
Elon Musk has clarified that SpaceX is not developing a Starlink phone right now. However, the clarification does not preclude the possibility of such a product later on.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
