The speculation can finally rest: Tesla has officially confirmed the release date of its highly anticipated Tesla Pi Phone — priced at just $789. After years of rumors, leaks, and endless hype, the device is no longer science fiction. Elon Musk’s bold entry into the smartphone market is now reality, and it’s generating shockwaves across the tech industry.
The Pi Phone isn’t just another premium device — it’s an ecosystem disruptor, with features that seem ripped straight from a sci-fi screenplay. From built-in Starlink satellite connectivity to a rumored solar-charging capability, Tesla is positioning this phone not merely as competition to Apple and Samsung, but as a redefinition of what a smartphone can be.
The Official Date & Price Point That Stunned Everyone
According to Tesla, the Pi Phone will launch in late 2026, with preorders opening globally just months before. But the biggest shock came with its $789 price tag. Analysts had long predicted a device loaded with Tesla-level tech to cost over $1,500. Musk’s decision to price it under $800 instantly turned the Pi Phone into one of the most disruptive announcements in smartphone history.
Comparisons with Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, expected to cost well over $1,300, were immediate. On social media, users quickly began dubbing the Tesla device the “iPhone Killer,” pointing to its aggressive pricing and unique features.
Starlink Built In – The End of Carrier Control?
The Pi Phone’s crown jewel is its integrated Starlink connectivity. While most smartphones rely on cellular networks, the Pi Phone will allow users to connect directly to Musk’s satellite internet constellation — offering free access in select markets, with minimal subscription costs elsewhere.
This raises a provocative question: if the Pi Phone can provide free or near-free satellite internet globally, what happens to traditional carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and Vodafone? Industry insiders are already calling this a telecom apocalypse waiting to happen.
Design & Performance: Tesla Meets Minimalism
Early leaks and Tesla’s teasers suggest a design ethos combining sleek Tesla car aesthetics with Apple-like simplicity. Renderings show a device with clean aluminum edges, ultra-thin bezels, and a glowing Tesla emblem at the back that doubles as a wireless charging indicator.
Performance-wise, the Pi Phone is expected to feature:
16GB RAM
Up to 2TB of storage
A custom Tesla chipset optimized for AI
6.9-inch 4K AMOLED display
6000mAh graphene battery with solar-assisted charging
Perhaps the boldest claim is that the Pi Phone will be Mars-compatible, capable of linking with future interplanetary Starlink satellites — a feature Musk himself hinted at during a cryptic X (formerly Twitter) post: “Your phone should work on Mars too.”
Cameras That Redefine Photography
The device is rumored to house a 200MP quad-lens array, capable of astrophotography without additional equipment. Musk teased that the Pi Phone could even take photos of galaxies visible from Earth, a capability unmatched by even professional DSLR cameras today.
Such a claim, if true, would revolutionize smartphone photography and obliterate competition from brands like Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra line, long marketed as the camera king.
A Hidden Feature That Changes Everything
While Starlink, solar charging, and space-ready design steal headlines, insiders whisper about one hidden feature that could be Tesla’s true trump card: direct Neuralink integration.
Neuralink, another Musk venture, is developing brain-computer interface technology. Rumors suggest that the Pi Phone may include early support for Neuralink-enabled apps, potentially allowing thought-based text input or biometric brainwave authentication.
If even partially true, this makes the Pi Phone less of a smartphone and more of a gateway to transhumanist tech — placing Tesla far ahead of Apple’s incremental updates.
Could Apple Be in Real Trouble?
For years, Apple has dominated the premium smartphone market with steady innovation and a loyal fanbase. But the Pi Phone’s arrival may represent the first true existential threat to Apple’s dominance.
Consider this: the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to offer evolutionary updates — better cameras, faster processors, and incremental design changes — while Tesla is promising a revolutionary leap forward.
Apple executives, while not directly commenting, are said to be monitoring Tesla’s progress closely. Some analysts predict Apple may rush satellite features or AI-driven capabilities into its next releases to prevent defections from its user base.
Public Reaction: Excitement Meets Skepticism
The global response has been a mix of uncontainable excitement and cautious skepticism. Tech enthusiasts flooded forums with posts like “Take my money now!” while skeptics question whether Musk can actually deliver on such grand promises.
One viral comment on Reddit read: “Musk promised self-driving cars years ago. Still waiting. So forgive me if I don’t preorder a Mars-ready phone yet.”
Still, Tesla’s track record of disrupting industries — from electric cars to reusable rockets — makes the possibility of the Pi Phone’s success more than just hype.
Conclusion: The Beginning of a New Tech Era?
The Tesla Pi Phone isn’t just another shiny gadget. It’s a symbol of Elon Musk’s ambition to merge industries — automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and now consumer electronics. With its $789 price point, free Starlink connectivity, and whispers of Neuralink integration, the Pi Phone isn’t entering the smartphone race; it’s redefining it.
Whether it truly “destroys” the iPhone 17 Pro Max remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the smartphone market will never look the same again.
As Musk said in his announcement: “We don’t just want to build a phone. We want to build the future in your pocket.”
And for just $789, millions are ready to hold that future.
Fact Check: Tesla didn’t release ‘Pi Phone’ with Starlink capability
Jack Izzo
Fri, September 26, 2025 at 6:10 a.m. ICT
2 min read
Claim:
In September 2025, electric car manufacturer Tesla announced the $789 “Pi Phone,” which comes with a free connection to satellite internet through SpaceX’s Starlink.
Rating: False
Context:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has occasionally suggested that the company might produce a mobile phone, but Tesla has never announced such a product.
A rumor circulated online in September 2025 claiming that the electric car manufacturer Tesla had announced the “Pi Phone,” a mobile phone with free satellite internet connection through SpaceX’s Starlink service. According to the posts, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had announced the phone, supposedly priced at $789, by saying “Apple should be worried.”
For example, on Sept. 23, the Facebook page Trend Fuel posted (archived) the story, receiving more than 170,000 likes. The post displayed a picture of Musk holding up the supposed phone. The post began, “It’s official. The $789 Tesla Pi Phone just changed the entire smartphone game and it’s not just hype.” Snopes readers emailed us to ask whether the rumor was true.
We reached out to Tesla as part of reporting this story but have not heard back.
Other Facebook users and YouTube channels also shared the same claim. Some of those posts featured links in top comments leading to articles hosted by WordPress blogs.
However, searches of Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google and Yahoo found no credible news media outlets reporting about a Tesla phone. Prominent news media outlets would have widely reported this rumor, if true, and Tesla or Musk would have publicly announced the phone on their social media profiles. That had not happened.
Rather, the person or people who authored the story fabricated the entire tale. Several posts sharing the claim likely aimed to earn advertising revenue on websites linked from the aforementioned Facebook posts.
This is not the first time rumors of a Tesla phone have spread across the internet — Snopes previously fact-checked a similar claim in June 2024. The rumor likely spreads because Musk has previously suggested in social media posts that his companies might investigate producing mobile phones at some point in the future.
