‘I will make an alternative phone’: Elon Musk to make smartphones if Apple, Google do this

Elon Musk has revealed that he is willing to even enter the smartphone market if Apple and Google decided to boot Twitter from their respective app stores. In a recent Twitter thread, discussing the implications of Apple and Google removing Twitter from the App Store or Play Store, Musk said that he will make an alternative phone. 

In his tweet, he said, “I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone.”

Musk fashions himself as a “free-speech” absolutist and the discussion began when some users on Twitter claimed that Apple and Google operating systems could be “biased” and “snooping”. 

I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2022

Currently, Elon Musk is in the business of space travel, electric vehicles, building tunnels, and now social media. There's no saying if the billionaire even decides to set up smartphone manufacturing or introduce his own operating system for phones. The thought of buying Twitter was also propagated via a tweet.  

Also read: Elon Musk again warns impersonation will result in account suspension on Twitter

Apple and Google own two of the most dominant operating systems in the world: iOS and Android. The companies have gone through a 1.5 decade-long evolution in operating systems. This makes them the most successful in smartphone history. Building an entirely new operating system may not be as daunting a challenge as pushing its adoption across markets.

Apple and Google capitalize on their dominance by charging relatively high app purchase fees. However, countries and intergovernmental organisations are pushing for more avenues for developers. 

Elon Musk has been vocal about the duopoly of the companies on the App ecosystem. In a recent tweet, he said, “App store fees are obviously too high due to the iOS/Android duopoly. It is a hidden 30% tax on the Internet.”

Also read: Gold, grey, blue tick on Twitter: Elon Musk reveals new Verified feature, announces launch date

Suspicions of Apple App Store removing Twitter heightened when app store executive Phil Schiller deleted his Twitter account. The absence of a moderation council is also believed to be a good enough reason for Apple App Store to remove the app. Musk had promised to set up a council to make policies around moderation. However, he took a U-turn earlier this week, claiming that 'political/social activists' have broken their side of the deal.