Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk has said he will produce an alternative phone if Apple and Google remove Twitter from their app stores. Many people want Twitter to continue its phone offering, even if Apple and Google don’t cancel the platform.
Elon Musk may release an alternative phone to compete with Apple and Google
Elon Musk announced Friday that he may launch his own smartphone to compete with the iPhone and Android if Apple and Google pull his newly acquired social media company off the platform.
Twitter user Liz Wheeler suggested Musk should make his own smartphone if Apple and Google removed Twitter from their app stores, adding that “Half the country would be happy with a biased, watchdog iPhone and Android.” Musk replied, “Of course, I hope that doesn’t happen, but yes, if there is no other option, I will make an alternative phone.”
Musk’s plans for Twitter as a free speech platform could put the social media company at odds with Apple and Google, and the two tech giants could remove Twitter from their app stores.
Smaller app stores like the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and even the Amazon Appstore have policies designed to protect users from discrimination, violence, harassment, and any content they deem negative. They have delisted apps for inappropriate content moderation practices and malicious content. Apple said in a letter to Congress last year that it removed more than 30,000 apps from its store in 2020 for negative content.
In January last year, Apple and Google suspended Parler, a social media app focused on free speech, following the January 6 riots in the US capital. The two companies later released the app back on their stores with some content. the app’s content moderation practices.
Many people want Musk to introduce an alternative phone
Many people welcome the idea of Musk making an alternative phone. “I would buy that. Do it even if the app is left,” shouted one Twitter user. Another said, “By all means do it. There is a big market for an alternative to Google and Apple.” A third user pointed out:
If Apple attempted the same attack on Twitter that it successfully launched against Parler, I can assure Elon Musk that millions of us would not hesitate to ditch our Apple iPhones and switch to your alternative model.
Some people have warned that Musk will introduce an alternative phone. One said: “Even with Elon Musk, there are already dominant 1st movers in the space.” Another warned: “Even if he wanted to do it, it would have been years ago [a] only one phone went on sale. Phones rely on components from dozens of vendors. It will take years to get the perfect spot just for a processor, TSMC is ordered for years and Samsung is way behind with their node processes.
A third user shared: “Prediction: Starlink-connected Twitter mobile: Always on, always connected, anywhere [the] the world. Encrypted switching and payments are all done in accordance with Cosmic Law. Imagine blockchain + comms hosted on microservers in space, out of reach of terrestrial governments.”
In addition, the Tesla CEO also complained that Apple and Google are taking a 15% to 30% cut from in-app purchases, which could make $8 a month from Musk’s plans to check Twitter subscriptions. On November 18, Musk tweeted:
App store fees are very high due to the iOS/Android duopoly. The hidden 30% tax on the Internet.
Musk recently announced plans to create X, an all-in-one app. According to him, buying Twitter accelerates the creation of X by 3-5 years.
Would you buy Elon Musk’s alternative smartphone to iPhone and Android? Let us know in the comment section below.
Image credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Refusal: This article is for informational purposes only. This is not a direct offer or an offer to buy or sell or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author shall be liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use or use of any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. .