Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Liz Wheeler advises Elon Musk to build a smartphone if Google Playstore and Apple store boot Twitter.
Liz Wheeler wrote: “If Apple & Google boot Twitter from their app stores, @elonmusk should produce his own smartphone. Half the country would happily ditch the biased, snooping iPhone & Android. The man builds rockets to Mars, a silly little smartphone should be easy, right?”
Rumors of a Tesla phone have persisted for some time – but that’s all these have been. However, for the first time, Musk admitted on Twitter that he would consider creating a competitor to Apple and Android devices if the companies take action against his newly acquired social media platform.
Elon Musk wrote: “I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone.” (Read More Here).
Musk has made some controversial changes since his deal to purchase Twitter went through, leading some advertisers to see the platform as a high-risk place to promote. Most recently, he shared his plans to conduct mass amnesty for suspended accounts following the result of a Twitter poll. He conducted a similar poll of his followers before confirming that the platform would reinstate former President Donald Trump.
It’s possible Musk’s “free speech absolutist” stance could lead Twitter to violate the respective app marketplaces guidelines. This chaotic strategy for running the platform has led some to question whether Apple or Google would boot Twitter from their respective app marketplaces. There is no sign that the mobile giants have actually considered making this move, but that didn’t stop Elon from responding to a tweet and stating that, if there is no other choice, he would make his own phone. This also isn’t the first time he’s spoken negatively about the companies, having previously complained about their high fees.
A “Tesla Pi Phone” has long been a vague, unsubstantiated rumor, but it seems Musk’s acquisition of Twitter may be the thing to finally push the founder over the edge and lead him to create a mobile device.
Of course, the device is only a hint of an idea today and is unlikely to see fruition.
Even if Apple and Google took simultaneous, decisive action against Twitter as a platform, the social media giant could still release an APK for users to download on Android outside of the Google Play Store. It’s a bit more complicated to install non-App Store apps on iOS, but it is possible – and installing a custom profile is a much lower barrier to entry than switching phones entirely. It’s also not like you wouldn’t be able to access Twitter through your phone’s browser – a native app isn’t necessary.
On YouTube, unfortunately, you have a bunch of fake videos about Tesla, the company, making a phone and these are simply false and not true. Tesla is not making a phone. I can see why people are making the videos though because some of them have millions of views and are drawing great interest. There is no Tesla Phone Model Pi or anything like that being produced.
Why does all this matter? Because Elon Musk now owns Twitter, one of the top social media companies in the world now and what if Apple and Google removed Twitter the app from their app stores. This would be a direct attack on Elon Musk and 3rd party developers making apps. If a company can just remove your app from their app store, what is to stop them from doing it again to any potential “threat” to their business.
I for one hope that there is not a removal of the Twitter app from the Apple iPhone and the Google Android phone. Elon Musk has his hands in so many different things now and making a phone would further stretch him and his time.
A phone makes sense for Elon Musk to developer when Apple and Google starts to collude and remove Twitter or other apps from their app stores. If people lose the ability to choose which apps to have on their phone because some are being removed from the app store, then I think the issue becomes just as important as free speech and Elon Musk should make a phone, even though it would stretch him even thinner than he already is with the projects on his plate.
There are already a lot of interesting replies to Elon Musk’s Tweet, most saying that Elon should do it. There are responses saying that Twitter could make a search better than Google search as well.
Many people want Elon Musk to make an alternative phone. There are only 2 major players right now in the smart phone market, Apple and Google. A Tesla phone might make sense and integrated with Starlink, could have better service than anything Apple or Google can utilize.
Either way, I hope it doesn’t come down to Elon Musk making a phone. There’s enough things on his plate taking his attention, the least of which is Twitter…
Do you think Elon Musk will make a phone? Will Apple and Google remove Twitter from their phone app stores?
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