Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, suggested over the weekend that Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s Starlink could develop a device capable of challenging Apple Inc.'s iPhone dominance. Gerber proposed a 'truly great AI phone' featuring satellite connectivity, exceptional battery life and an AI-first operating system where users simply tell the device what to do.

Starlink's Potential Entry

Gerber outlined his vision on X, stating that Starlink has the opportunity to build a phone optimized for AI tasks. He emphasized a system where verbal commands execute complex actions automatically. When asked who would create such a device first, Gerber pointed to the potential for Starlink to enter the hardware market.

Google Pixel's Existing Capabilities

In response to Gerber's suggestion, users noted that Alphabet Inc.'s Google Pixel smartphones already offer comparable functionality. The Pixel 10 series, powered by the Tensor G5 chip, utilizes Gemini AI to handle tasks such as opening food delivery apps, locating restaurants and adding items to carts via screen automation. Payment authorization remains the primary step requiring manual intervention for security reasons.

Apple's Market Position

Despite the debate over AI capabilities, Apple continues to lead the U.S. smartphone market. According to Statcounter data for May 2026, Apple held a 61.51% market share, followed by Samsung Electronics at 20.74% and Google at 3.86%. In April, Apple reported fiscal second-quarter iPhone revenue of $56.99 billion, an increase from $46.84 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Future AI Smartphone Developments

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk hinted earlier this year that a Starlink smartphone is not out of the question, describing it as a device optimized purely for running maximum performance per watt neural nets. The discussion occurs as Apple faces scrutiny over its AI strategy following recent Siri AI announcements.

Retail investors actively discussed five stocks this week from June 15 to June 18 on platforms such as X and Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets. The discussions were driven by retail hype, earnings reports, listings, momentum in AI infrastructure, and corporate or geopolitical news flow. The companies generating the most interest were Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Microsoft Corp., Netflix Inc., Intel Corp., and Achieve Life Sciences Inc.

Space Exploration Technologies

SpaceX shares continued strong momentum early in the week after debuting on June 12, following a record $75 billion IPO priced at $135. The company’s market cap surpassed that of Amazon.com Inc. earlier in the week. SpaceX also announced the acquisition of AI coding startup Anysphere Inc. in an all-stock deal valued at an implied equity value of $60 billion, according to a Form 8-K filed Tuesday. Retail investors expressed skepticism regarding the stock's meteoric rise following its listing. The stock traded between $149.34 and $225.64 this week, closing at $185 per share on Thursday. It has advanced by 23.33% since its listing.

Microsoft

Microsoft shares traded in a volatile range, roughly between $393 and $400, experiencing modest pullbacks amid broader market rotation and profit-taking. Attention focused on the TechCon 365 Chicago conference from June 15 to 19, which highlighted Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and AI/Copilot tools. A potential $3 billion deal for Microsoft to lease Oracle Corp.’s cloud infrastructure was reportedly halted due to a lack of FedRAMP security compliance, a claim Oracle disputed. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman announced he deployed nearly 85% of capital from his closed-end fund to buy tech behemoths like Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft. Retail investors remained bullish on Microsoft, particularly for its AI potential. The stock had a 52-week range of $356.28 to $555.45, trading around $379 to $380 per share. It declined by 21.00% over the year, 21.61% in the last six months, and 21.55% YTD.

Netflix

Netflix was a major topic of discussion due to a recent stock dip, perceived undervaluation, and ongoing merger and acquisition rumors. Futurum Equities’ Shay Boloor argued the market is misreading the business, citing a massive opportunity as the stock hit its lowest valuation multiple in nearly four years at 25 times earnings. Paramount Skydance reportedly alleged that Netflix is attempting to undermine its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Retail investors viewed the stock as cheap. The stock had a 52-week range of $75.01 to $134.12, trading around $77 to $78 per share. It declined 36.69% over the year, 17.68% in the last six months, and 17.47% YTD.

Intel

Intel shares surged mid-to-late week after President Donald Trump announced that Apple Inc. agreed to partner with Intel on designing and manufacturing chips in the U.S. The company also appointed Seok-Hee Lee as EVP of Intel Foundry to lead advanced packaging and manufacturing acceleration. The stock had a 52-week range of $18.97 to $135.48, trading around $133 to $134 per share. It surged 523.50% over the year, rose 269.32% over the last six months, and increased 263.12% YTD.

Achieve Life Sciences

Achieve Life Sciences’ stock was in focus weeks after promising clinical trial results for a new nicotine cessation drug and its Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA. The designation could expedite the drug's review. The company is also conducting trials for vaping cessation. Investors were optimistic about its market potential. The stock had a 52-week range of $2.0000 to $6.1600, trading around $4 to $5 per share. It advanced by 54.46% over the year and 11.75% over the last six months, while dropping 2.41% YTD.