Gene Munster Predicts Elon Musk Will Eventually Build a Smartphone
Investor Gene Munster says a Starlink-connected phone is coming despite Musk's denials, warning it could threaten Apple and Samsung.
Veteran tech investor Gene Munster is betting that Elon Musk will eventually launch a smartphone, contradicting the SpaceX CEO's own public statements that he has no interest in entering the phone market. The prediction comes after Space Exploration Technologies Corp. struck a deal to acquire nationwide low-band spectrum, a move Munster sees as laying the groundwork for a Starlink-branded device.
Munster argues that a Starlink phone would represent something more disruptive than a typical hardware launch. By tying a handset directly to SpaceX's satellite internet network, such a device could offer connectivity advantages that neither Apple nor Samsung can currently match — making it a structural threat rather than just another competitor on a carrier's shelf.
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Musk has repeatedly pushed back on the idea, publicly stating he does not want to build a phone. But Munster contends that the spectrum acquisition signals strategic intent that goes beyond SpaceX's existing satellite-to-cellular partnerships, suggesting the long-term trajectory points toward a full consumer device regardless of Musk's current stance.
The speculation arrives as SpaceX continues to expand Starlink's direct-to-device capabilities, already partnering with select carriers to enable satellite messaging and connectivity on existing handsets. A proprietary phone would mark a sharp escalation of that strategy, potentially allowing SpaceX to capture the entire hardware-and-connectivity value chain in one vertically integrated product.
Whether Musk ultimately greenlit a phone remains an open question, but Munster's read of the spectrum deal suggests the pieces are moving into place. Continue reading at Yahoo.
