Resolved Is Tesla phone a serious threat for iPhone?

[QCassidy352]

Tesla is still not making money when they sell a car

This is out of date and incorrect. Their average cost to manufacture a car is 36,000. Their lowest priced car is about $45,000. They have very high margins on cars compared to most of the industry and are making quite a bit of money quarterly now (not like Apple, but nobody is like Apple).

But no, I don't think there will be a Tesla phone, and I don't think it would be a concern to Apple if there were.

 

[Bandaman]

So we can expect Apple to lose share in the central Saharan market?

That was literally not the point of what I was saying, but I appreciate the sarcasm. The phone will work literally almost anywhere because it's a satellite phone. It doesn't rely on towers. This is quite a big advantage over typical carrier phones. In most situations you will get reception literally anywhere, except where the sky is blocked out, like if you live in a forest or something.

 

[Motionblurrr]

Tesla has to write their own OS for it to be even remotely a threat

The overhead to make a brand new OS is almost unfeasible in 2022. Like, if you haven’t been making a new OS since maybe 2014 at minimum it’s already too late for it now

 

[Zaft]

If it’s a totally new OS then it has no chance. Good luck getting developers to make apps for a new platform.

Microsoft payed developers to make apps for windows mobile and still went under.

 

[Analog Kid]

In most situations you will get reception literally anywhere, except where the sky is blocked out, like if you live in a forest or something.

Or a building?

 

[goobot]

As others have said if it doesn’t run Android no chance

 

[Hexley]

Tesla will probably run on Android and have access to Starlink's satellite network for Vo6G (Voice ove 6G).

Although for 99% of users will not need it it would be nice to have Starlink access on an iPhone by around year 2030.

Why 2030? It takes about a decade to get to the next Generation of cellular tech.

 

[rijc99]

This thread reminds me of when rumors of Apple developing a phone was initially making the rounds.

 

[Allyance]

With over 1 billion iPhones users worldwide, I could think of other markets that would be easier to crack.

 

[1rottenapple]

I agree I doubt they will make a phone but if they do it’ll likely be android. Which really who cares. They can’t make their own OS because transitioning people from iOS and android to another OS without corresponding apps would be extremely challenging. Not many people can do it. I think they should just focus on AI whether it’s the rumors robot they want to make (which can replace human workers btw in their factories) or other industries. Their ability to harness ai is pretty amazing. How they can use the cars cameras to analyze and upload data to a main data center for analysis then teach the cars new complications based on the analysis via software update.

 

[dwig]

The correct question ought to be - will this Tesla phone be a match for the iPhone and surrounding ecosystem?

Not a chance in hell.

Matching the iPhone itself is easy and many have done it successfully, but ...

... matching the Apple iStuff ecosystem is a massive challenge that none of the competitors have managed to pull off.

 

[dukebound85]

This thread reminds me of when rumors of Apple developing a phone was initially making the rounds.

not really an apples to apples comparison though is it?

 

[DotCom2]

I am looking forward to see what a self-driving phone can do.

 

[Tsepz]

In the recent month it has been viral in social media platforms the rumor that tesla will release smart phone in the upcoming years called Tesla model Pi. it is rumored that tesla getting in the smart phone market as a response of apple plan to make electric cars to compete with tesla cars. since Tesla is a premium car company, they are likely targeting premium segment, the segment that is dominated by iPhone. i think it will unlikely targeting budget android phones. Do you think Tesla Phone will be a serious threat for iPhone? or for apple in general?

It will probably run Android and Tesla will be at the mercy of what Google does which I doubt they would want that.
If they are going to do a Proprietary OS, is it even going to be worth the time and resources for them?

Whatever they choose to do it would be very interesting. The smartphone market needs a big shakeup right now, so if Tesla want to come in they better come in and be fully prepared to commit long term.

Let’s not forget how Apple came in and pretty much had to reimagine the smartphone and how people use them and then on top of that build an entire infrastructure and ecosystem to support all of it. Many companies that enter the smartphone business don’t seem to fully understand just how comprehensively prepared they must be. No half jobs. I’ll be disappointed if they come in with just another slab device.

 

[Taz Mangus]

I am looking forward to see what a self-driving phone can do.

Hopefully it won't burst into flames. ?

 

[rijc99]

not really an apples to apples comparison though is it?

More than you think. iOS didn’t exist and the fans of the big players made fun of Apple for even thinking about going into the phone arena challenging the existing players.

 

[Nebrie]

A reminder that Elon has a long history of claiming he will do things that never ever happen.

 

[jon_gfisher]

Tesla isn't interested in phones, apparently:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1305570412349321216

All the rumors surrounding a Tesla phone come from a YT video someone made for fun https://www.lifewire.com/tesla-phone-5212799

 

[boss.king]

That was literally not the point of what I was saying, but I appreciate the sarcasm. The phone will work literally almost anywhere because it's a satellite phone. It doesn't rely on towers. This is quite a big advantage over typical carrier phones. In most situations you will get reception literally anywhere, except where the sky is blocked out, like if you live in a forest or something.

But to be clear, satellite connections are far flakier than tower connections. Forget a forest, it can be interrupted by a single tree. Or a power line. Or a light cloud. The current Starlink dishes can lose connection if a strong gust of wind hits them at the right angle.

A desert is literally the one place it might actually be able to offer reliable service, as long as you're not next to a tall dune.

Ignore any competition with Apple or whatever industry you think this competes with and just look at the things Musk promises and how many of them never ship or ship late or ship late and remain unfinished.

 

[Bandaman]

But to be clear, satellite connections are far flakier than tower connections. Forget a forest, it can be interrupted by a single tree. Or a power line. Or a light cloud. The current Starlink dishes can lose connection if a strong gust of wind hits them at the right angle.

A desert is literally the one place it might actually be able to offer reliable service, as long as you're not next to a tall dune.

Ignore any competition with Apple or whatever industry you think this competes with and just look at the things Musk promises and how many of them never ship or ship late or ship late and remain unfinished.

Well that doesn’t sound great at all.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I think the only thing that would make Apple's iPhone fall far enough for a Tesla phone to overtake it would be if we found out that iPhones were made from people. "iPhones are people!"

 

[dk001]

I am looking forward to see what a self-driving phone can do.

I see those all the time on Cali freeways. Usually hauling around a soccer-mom and a big SUV.

 

[Starscape]

That’s funny, we must live in different (online) worlds… my impression is that everyone thinks he’s the world’s biggest clown (to put it very mildly).

I think most of the people that criticize him are just plain jealous of am eccentric and very intelligent guy that’s super-rich, lives life on his own terms, and basically doesn’t care what other people think of him. And he just happened to create a very successful car company with incredible technology that is constantly breaking new ground in the industry.

But other than that, maybe he’s a clown. But a clown I admire.

 

[throAU]

This is like asking if ford is a threat to IBM

 

[throAU]

This is out of date and incorrect. Their average cost to manufacture a car is 36,000. Their lowest priced car is about $45,000. They have very high margins on cars compared to most of the industry and are making quite a bit of money quarterly now (not like Apple, but nobody is like Apple).

But no, I don't think there will be a Tesla phone, and I don't think it would be a concern to Apple if there were.

Manufacturing cost is not the cost to get the car to market.

R&D, warranty/parts/logistics support, shipment to the destination country, passing local laws, etc.

The purchase price will include all that, so the profit margin won't be $9k on average. It will be MUCH less.