SpaceX is reportedly laying the groundwork for its next big leap: a satellite-tethered mobile device under the Starlink banner. Sources familiar with the company’s plans say it is exploring the idea of building a phone that directly accesses its Starlink satellite constellation, a move that could push its connectivity push far beyond the current broadband market.
According to Reuters, SpaceX is considering a mobile device that will connect directly to the Starlink network. The details of the design or timing remain unclear, but CEO Elon Musk has suggested that such a device is “out of the question at some point” and would be “very different” from current smartphones optimized for high-performance AI computing.
Starlink has already experimented with bringing its service to cell phones through partnerships like the one with T-Mobile, but producing a dedicated Starlink phone would represent a significant expansion.
The report notes that SpaceX registered the “Starlink Mobile” trademark last October and filed patents earlier this year for “technologies aimed at improving Starlink’s ability to connect to small and mobile devices on land, other than just Starlink user terminals,” lending credence to the speculation.
Musk denies plans for a Starlink phone
Although Musk previously hinted that a Starlink phone might be possible in the future, he dismissed the report in recent tweets.
In response to X users who shared the story, he said, “We’re not developing a phone,” and even called the report a lie in a separate tweet.
At this point, SpaceX hasn’t made anything official, so the idea of a Starlink phone remains unconfirmed. The company is currently focused on expanding its satellite network and broadband services, which already serve millions of users worldwide. A mobile device could help open up a new market and reach more users, but whether such a product will ever come to market remains uncertain.
