Is Tesla Launching Pi Phone – Here is What We Know

It’s been doing the rounds for some time, we rolled up our sleeves to see the truth, lies, and all things that are surrounding the so-called Pi Phone.

The Internet and rumor mills are made for each other, and when it comes to Musk, he is no stranger to creating a buzz or controversy. He is no doubt pushing the limits, whether as CEO of Tesla or Founder of SpaceX, which redefined space travel and satellite technology. He is a daring entrepreneur.

Diversification Beyond EVs

When Musk acquired Twitter ( now X), it raised many eyebrows. Now X looks like a misfit in Musk’s ecosystem. It’s time for another foray Musk might make, but it's purely speculative.   Take the case of the latest YouTube video among many doing the rounds. This video convincingly states that Musk will soon launch a smartphone called Pi, and it will create altogether a new industry segment, neither competing with Apple nor Samsung.

But a deeper dig reveals that it's purely a rumor, as Musk himself has repeatedly stated that he has no interest in smartphone manufacturing.

Rumors about Tesla launching a "Pi Phone" have been circulating for years, but there is no official indication that Tesla is entering the smartphone market. But the tip of the iceberg relates to a thought, he will when significant censorship or restrictions from major tech companies, might push Tesla to develop a phone, but today there is no such scenario that currently exists.

The speculation had to have stemmed from fan-made imaginations on YouTube and social media, which states the Tesla phone will come with features like satellite connectivity through SpaceX’s Starlink. 

What ‘If’ Scenario: If Tesla Launches a Phone?

Let’s look at some scenarios if at all such a phone comes from Tesla:

He will create a similar ecosystem Apple has created, in a much bigger way. A phone that will seamlessly fit all things Musk does- like Stralink, Tesla EV vehicles, state of the art energy efficiency, that will promise a huge battery life. The persona will be consumers of current Tesla products.

Here comes the key question. Will we see a major new OS emerging, beyond the bi-polarity of iOS and Android? Yet again, it's going to be a huge task for Tesla, as it needs to foster a dedicated developer ecosystem.

Yet another speculation is, whether will it have groundbreaking connectivity. And users can seamlessly roam across the world if Tesla’s Starlink becomes pervasive. He will not be tapping into conventional mobile networks, literally shaking up traditional connectivity.

However, the biggest challenge will be manufacturing and what kind of expertise Tesla has is to be seen, it took years for Google and Apple to build the mobile ecosystem and Tesla needs to invest a lot in capability building in this case.

Parting shot: Given the intricacies involved, it looks very unlikely Tesla will launch a phone, not in the short term.