Tesla is famous for its electric cars, but some fans are hoping the company will expand its remit and produce its own smartphone – something CEO Elon Musk even fueled with a few provocative tweets.
Here’s everything we know so far about the mysterious Tesla Model Pi, including whether there’s really any reason to believe Tesla is making a phone.
Will the Tesla Model Pi be released?
At the moment, as far as we can tell, the Tesla Model Pi remains largely in the realm of speculation. Tesla has made no announcement regarding a move in this area and Musk himself debunked the rumor in 2020, calling smartphones “yesterday’s technology”.
This refers to the development of chips that can be implanted in the brain to then allow devices to be controlled by the electrical impulses created when we think. One of Musk’s companies, Neuralink Corporation, is already heavily involved in the development of this technology, but it will likely be a long time before the “chip” becomes a reality.
Yet there is some reason to think that Musk is developing a phone or considering it. Following speculation (started by Musk himself, it should be added) that Apple was planning to oust Twitter from the App Store, the social network’s new owner suggested it would make its own phone, but only “if there is no other choice.”
In short, there’s no reason to believe that Musk or any of his companies are currently developing smartphone technology, but there’s a chance he might consider it in the future.
How much would the Tesla Model Pi cost?
That would be anyone’s guess. If it contains half of the fan-speculated features, there’s a good chance it’s at the top of the market, but as there’s no real evidence of an actual phone, any pricing would be pure speculation.
What features and specifications might we see in the Tesla Model Pi?
OK. Hang on to your hats. With the Model Pi looking like an urban legend at the moment, the rumor mill has entered some pretty weird territory when it comes to the kind of features Tesla might introduce with its first phone.
Design
concept artist Antoine DeRosa has created some nice images that show potential design choices Tesla could make, although of course this is entirely conceptual and not based on solid schematic evidence.
Solar energy
Probably the most realistic of all the rumors is that of Tesla incorporating solar panels into the device to allow charging without the need for an electrical power source. This makes sense, as it would fit in with Tesla’s eco-friendly brand, while using solar technology already developed by the company.
Whether the solar charging technology is ready to keep a phone charged all day, especially when the phone itself spends most of its time in your pocket or bag, is of course another matter.
There are also fairly reasonable stories of the Model Pi integrating tightly with Tesla cars, allowing greater control over settings and features while on the go.
Starlink Support
Moving on to the fanciful, there are numerous reports that the Pi model will use Starlink service provided by Musk’s SpaceX company. It’s basically fast satellite broadband that should provide coverage in many areas where 5G fears to walk.
Satellite connectivity has started to appear in phones like the iPhone 14 series and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro, but the implementation has been basic and mainly intended for simple emergency text communications when the regular signal is not available. not available. Fans hope any Starlink integration would be more sophisticated.
Neuralink
Remember the Neuralink technology we talked about earlier? Well, many fans hope that the Pi model will be compatible with Brain-Machine-Interface (BMI) chips which would allow users to control their devices by thought.
While that sounds incredibly interesting, if trying to get Siri to call the right person or Alexa to select the right music track, the idea of a mind control phone could be a nightmare.
Martian attacks!
Finally, the craziest of all the popular rumors we’ve seen is that Starlink technology will allow the Pi model to run on Mars. Yes, March.
Frankly, we would be more impressed if Tesla could fix it so we have a decent signal in the local cafe rather than Olympus Mons. It would be a real breakthrough.
For more affordable devices that actually exist, be sure to check out our guide to the best phones coming in 2022 as well as our current pick of the best phones available.
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