Musk Says Tesla Won’t Enter Smartphone Market Unless Necessary

Android Authority recently polled its users to find out if they would purchase a Tesla smartphone. According to the findings, 77% of people would never buy the phone, 8% would consider it a price-dependent decision, and 15% replied “Yes, absolutely.”

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, recently addressed the long-running rumors of a Tesla smartphone in an interview. During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Musk made it clear that “No, we’re not doing a phone.”

He said that Tesla might be better able to make a smartphone that doesn’t work with Android or iOS than other companies because of its software, but he also said that they had no plans to do so.

“It’s not something we want to do unless we have to,” Musk stated. He suggested that Tesla might consider entering the smartphone industry if tech giants like Google and Apple began engaging in negative behaviors, such as excessive censorship or acting as gatekeepers.

Note that Apple and Google are already considered gatekeepers to different degrees inside the smartphone sector by regulatory agencies, especially in the EU.

Is Tesla Ready to Disrupt the Smartphone Industry?

A non-Android phone might be based on the software found in Tesla’s high-tech entertainment system, which gives access to a number of apps and games. For connectivity, Tesla may use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. An emergency alert and messaging service that goes straight to a customer’s cell phone is already in beta testing.

Still, it’s easier said than done to come up with a competing smartphone platform for Android and iOS. With its Windows Phone platform, Microsoft encountered difficulties in attracting developers. Tesla may face a comparable challenge.

Tesla might not be able to succeed even if it chooses to use a tweaked version of Android, as Amazon did with the Fire Phone in 2014. The Fire Phone was a failure, despite Amazon’s best efforts; however, other Amazon devices still use Fire OS.

With the release of iMessage, which allows for the transfer of text messages between iOS and Android devices, Apple has managed to hold on to its millions of lifelong customers. This may present Tesla with yet another challenge.

Additionally, Musk’s management of Twitter, which has apparently seen a drop in value since he bought it, may also make people doubt Tesla’s ability to make a successful smartphone launch.