Is Elon Musk's Tesla Pi phone real or just a rumour?
Tesla is in a better position to create a new phone that’s not Android or iPhone than maybe any company in the world. But it’s not something we want to do, unless we have to or something.
These are the words said by Tesla CEO Elon Musk during an episode of Joe Rogan Experience in 2024. The Tesla Pi phone is not real but an internet rumour. Despite ongoing viral posts and AI-generated concepts, Elon Musk has repeatedly stated that Tesla is not developing a smartphone.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Is Elon Musk's Tesla Pi phone real?
- Why is the Tesla Pi Phone a rumour?
- The real technologies that fuel the rumours
- Rumoured features of Elon Musk's Tesla Pi phone
- What is the price of the Tesla Pi phone?
- Is Tesla actually releasing a phone?
- Are there Tesla phones being sold today?
- Did Tesla really predict cell phones?
Key takeaways
- The Tesla Pi phone has not been officially confirmed and remains mostly a rumour.
- Elon Musk hinted that Tesla could develop its own phone if major tech companies ever restrict access to their platforms.
- The rumoured features of a Tesla Pi phone include Starlink internet, solar charging, and Tesla car integration.
Is Elon Musk's Tesla Pi phone real?
The Tesla Pi phone has become a hot topic online, with many people wondering if it is a real product. Some videos and posts on social media claim that Elon Musk’s company is secretly working on a futuristic smartphone, but they are not true. As of now, Elon Musk and Tesla have not released any phone, so the Tesla Pi is just a rumour.
Rumours about the Tesla Pi phone started in 2021 and 2022, driven by fake concept videos and pictures that many thought were real. Social media and websites have used the idea to get views and clicks, and some of the fake videos were even made using AI.
Why is the Tesla Pi Phone a rumour?
The idea of Tesla making a phone has been floating around for years, and it’s now resurfaced following comments made by CEO Elon Musk. In a November 2024 interview with podcaster Joe Rogan on YouTube, Musk confirmed that Tesla is not making a phone, saying:
No, we are not doing a phone.
Musk explained that Tesla would only think about making one if Apple or Google ever blocked Tesla’s apps or services. He stated:
If Apple and Google/Android started doing really bad things, like censorship of apps or being like gatekeepers, in a bad way, then I guess we’d make a phone.
Source: Getty Images
At an October 2024 Town Hall, Musk said Tesla doesn’t plan to make a phone unless it becomes necessary. He explained:
Man, I hope we don’t have to make a phone. That’s a lot of work. The idea of making a phone makes me want to die. But if we have to make a phone, we will, but we will aspire not to make a phone.
He also explained that his reason for possibly creating a phone comes from concerns about the control major tech companies have, saying,
You know, I do think that the various companies, Apple and Google Android, have to make sure they don’t have a heavy hand in the App Store and whatnot, or they will create a forcing function for there to be a competitor.
Musk has made similar statements in the past. In November 2023, during a New York Times event, Musk said:
If there’s an essential need to make a phone, I’ll make a phone, but I’ve got a lot of fish to fry.
The real technologies that fuel the rumours
Source: Getty Images
The idea of a Tesla phone is largely fueled by innovative projects from Musk's other companies. They include:
- Starlink "Direct to Cell": This real project from SpaceX aims to let existing smartphones connect directly to satellites in remote areas, not through a new Tesla phone. It gives a realistic basis for the rumoured “satellite connectivity” feature.
- Neuralink: Another company founded by Musk is working on brain-computer technology to help people with paralysis use computers through their thoughts. The rumours about the Tesla phone being linked to Neuralink likely come from this real project.
Rumoured features of Elon Musk's Tesla Pi phone
Even though the Tesla Pi phone has not been confirmed, many exciting ideas about its possible features have spread online. These rumours describe what the phone might offer if it ever becomes real, such as:
- Starlink satellite support: This would let the phone connect directly to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, giving it fast internet access even in remote areas without using normal mobile networks.
- Solar charging: This would let the phone charge its battery using sunlight, making it less dependent on regular power and more convenient and eco-friendly.
Source: Getty Images
- Crypto mining: This means the phone could mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin directly. Crypto mining is the process of using computing power to solve complex problems and record transactions on a blockchain.
- Neuralink integration: This suggests that the phone could potentially be controlled by the user's thoughts through a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI).
What is the price of the Tesla Pi phone?
There is no confirmed price for a Tesla Pi phone because Tesla has not officially announced or released one.
Is Tesla actually releasing a phone?
Elon Musk himself has said that the Tesla company is not making a phone, unless future circumstances force them to.
Are there Tesla phones being sold today?
There are phones branded as Tesla being sold in some markets, like Europe and Asia, but they are not made by Elon Musk’s Tesla, Inc.
Did Tesla really predict cell phones?
Tesla didn’t directly predict cell phones, but he did imagine wireless devices that could send messages and information over long distances.
As of now, the Tesla Pi phone remains just a rumour, with no official confirmation from Elon Musk or Tesla. Most of the information online comes from fan concepts and speculation. Elon Musk has previously stated that Tesla is not making a phone unless circumstances force them to.
Legit.ng recently published a step-by-step guide on how to detect and block phone tracking on iPhone and Android. The piece highlights growing privacy concerns as technology advances, showing how easily unauthorised tracking can go unnoticed.
You can identify tracking by noticing unusual battery drain or unfamiliar apps. Regularly review app permissions and remove suspicious ones to stop hidden trackers.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
