Key Takeaways
1. Trump Mobile launched the Trump T1 Phone with preorders starting at a $100 deposit, but the release date is now unspecified.
2. Despite claims of success, the company has not disclosed actual sales numbers or clarified important product details.
3. The “Made in USA” claim has been removed from the product page, replaced by vague phrases about American values.
4. Evidence suggests the Trump T1 Phone is manufactured by the Chinese firm Wingtech, not in the US.
5. The phone’s specifications have been misleading, with changes to the display size and potential discrepancies in the actual product image.
In mid-June, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the launch of Trump Mobile, a new service that offers cellular connectivity and the Trump T1 Phone. Shortly after this announcement, customers in the US were able to start preordering the smartphone. To secure their order, buyers needed to make a $100 deposit, with the remaining $399 to be paid when the product ships. Although the device was originally planned for a September release, the product page no longer specifies an exact date for launch.
Success Claims and Deposit Issues
Even with the high upfront cost and the absence of a confirmed release timeline, employees from Trump Mobile have proclaimed the Trump T1 Phone a big success, according to reports from the Financial Times. While the actual sales numbers remain undisclosed, it has been revealed that the company received customer deposits without providing clarity on several important aspects. Notably, the initial claim of being “Made in USA” has completely disappeared from the product page, instead replaced by vague phrases like “designed with American values in mind” and “proudly American.”
Origin Concerns
To put it plainly, this smartphone is likely neither produced nor, chances are, designed in the United States. Although the exact origins of the Trump T1 Phone are yet to be confirmed, there is significant evidence suggesting that it is an OEM product created and built by the Chinese firm Wingtech. Given that the Liberty Phone—the sole smartphone genuinely manufactured in the US—costs over $2,000, it’s not surprising that the much more affordable Trump T1 Phone isn’t actually made in the US.
Specification Deception
But the surprises don’t stop there: Trump Mobile has also misled customers about the phone’s features. The company first promoted a mid-range smartphone equipped with a 6.78-inch display and 12 GB of RAM. However, the current product page indicates a 6.25-inch screen and does not mention anything about the RAM. Additionally, the product image likely does not show the actual phone, as it features a device without any LED flash. The Verge speculates that Trump Mobile may have changed suppliers during the process, which means customers might receive a different smartphone than the one they originally ordered.
Financial Times | Trump Mobile
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