He regularly puts rockets into space, but can Elon Musk deliver something as comparatively straightforward as a smartphone?
The world's richest person and new owner of Twitter has suggested he may move into the phone industry amid concerns that Apple and Google could ban the social media platform from their app stores due to content moderation concerns.
Tesla, the electric car maker, has reportedly been working on a futuristic smartphone for some time, but Mr Musk, its chief executive, has remained tight-lipped on the project.
However, he has now suggested that a phone could be in the offing.
The subject was raised on Twitter by American political commentator Liz Wheeler, who said that “half the country” would happily ditch Apple's iPhone and Android devices in favour of a phone developed by Mr Musk.
Mr Musk replied that he hopes that Twitter doesn't end up banned by Apple and Google, “but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone”.
He has been keen to open up Twitter to more free speech and has restored previously banned accounts such as former US President Donald Trump.
The billionaire's tenure as chief executive of Twitter since his $44 billion acquisition has been full of controversy.
As well as widespread job cuts, the company has lost at least half of its major advertisers in the weeks after Mr Musk took — over representing a loss of nearly $750 million, according to a report.
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Meanwhile, leaked information on the purported Tesla phone suggests it will have inbuilt functionality to gain access to Starlink, allowing users to surf the web without relying on Earth-bound telecoms networks.
It could also support Neuralink — the technology that could let users control devices with their thoughts. Mr Musk cofounded the Neuralink Corporation in 2016.
Another expected feature is solar charging, while some reports suggest that the phone could work on Mars using Starlink connectivity.
Potential pricing and release date are unknown.
Mr Musk said on Sunday that new user sign-ups to Twitter are at an “all-time high”.
Sign-ups were averaging over two million per day in the last seven days as of November 16, up 66 per cent compared to the same week in 2021, he said in a tweet.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
