Is Elon Musk Launching ‘Unli Internet’ Phone? Rappler Fact Checks ‘Tesla Pi Phone’ Rumors
Following a viral claim on social media, media outlet Rappler reported that Elon Musk has not released a “Tesla Pi Phone,” which is rumored to be a cross-project of Musk’s multinational automotive and clean energy company, Tesla, and blockchain project popular for crypto mining, Pi Network.
What’s the significance: With scams circulating in the web3 space, this fact-check emphasizes the importance of verifying information before jumping to conclusions about new innovations in the tech and crypto industries.
- Additionally: The spread of unfounded tech rumors highlights the growing issue of misinformation online, which may also fuel scams. Consumers must be vigilant and verify claims to avoid falling for such misleading information.
Key Details: The rumors have spread across multiple social media platforms featuring manipulated images of Musk holding the alleged phone.
- One of the platforms that Rappler said released false videos was published by Archlight, a Tagalog-themed educational platform with 1.9 million followers on Facebook with a tag line, “Asintado ang bawat kaalaman.”
- The claims also mentioned features like Starlink satellite-powered data, astrophotography, and Marscoin cryptocurrency mining, none of which have been confirmed.
- As of writing, the value of Marscoin (MARS) on CoinGecko is valued at $0.3468 and has been down by 0.6% in the last 24 hours; but it has gone up by 27.3% over the past week.
- Other posts noted that the phone will no longer need chargers, post-paid or pre-paid load, and universal connectivity.
- Vera Files also arrived at the same conclusion.
It should be noted that: Musk has repeatedly shut down similar rumors, including during a town hall session in 2024 and in a 2020 tweet.
“No, we’re not doing a phone. Probably Tesla is in a better position to create a new phone that’s not Android or iPhone than maybe any company in the world, but it’s not something we wanna do unless we have to.”
Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer, Tesla
Between the Lines: Being a prominent individual in the technology innovation world, Musk’s words, even just a mention of his name, have proven to influence the investment choices of people. This is especially true when it comes to the web3 space where the prices of crypto are volatile.
- In 2023, it can be remembered that the prices of meme coins Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Floki Inu (FLOKI) have gone up he posted a meme on Twitter featuring his dog Floki as the new boss of Twitter.
- In 2022, after Musk took control of Twitter, now X, caused the value of DOGE to have gained 21%.
What to Watch: Tesla’s focus remains on electric vehicles, with the company continuing its expansion, including the launch of a new showroom in the Philippines and upcoming deliveries in early 2025.
The Bottom Line: While the Tesla Pi Phone claim has been debunked, this still stresses the need for vigilance and fact-checking, particularly in the fast-paced world of web3 and tech innovations.
Worth reading: In 2023, Elon Musk unveiled xAI, an AI company aimed at developing a “theory of everything” for neural networks, positioning it as a potential rival to ChatGPT and emphasizing its focus on creating a “truth-seeking” AI.
This article is published on BitPinas: Is Elon Musk Launching ‘Unli Internet’ Phone? Rappler Fact Checks ‘Tesla Pi Phone’ Rumors
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