Latest news with #T1
Mint
13 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
'Classic vaporware': Trump Organization drops ‘made in US' claim for T1 phone as analysts point to China production
The Trump Organization announced its cellular brand called T1 earlier this month, heavily emphasising that the devices would be 'made in the USA", keeping in line with Trump administration policies. Now, just 10 days later, the company is silently erasing those claims. This shift comes following analysts' consensus that the phones are likely to be produced in China. The official website for the T1 phone has removed all languages which indicated the phone would be manufactured in the US. Now the website uses more ambiguous phrasing, stating the phone was "designed with American values in mind' and 'brought to life right here in the USA,' Fortune reported. Beyond the manufacturing claims, The Verge reported that the T1 phone's specifications have also been scaled back since it was introduced. The screen is now smaller, having been reduced from 6.78 inches to 6.25 inches, and all information about RAM has also been removed. Furthermore, while the phones were initially promised to be released in September, the company has since adjusted that language to read 'later this year'. Despite these changes, the subscribers are still required to pay $100 up front for the device, the news agency said. Scepticism about Trump Mobile's claims emerged almost immediately upon its announcement. Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism, the only company currently producing a US-made smartphone, told Fortune, 'As someone who's spent over a decade building a secure, privacy-first smartphone, focusing on manufacturing in the US, and I can say this with confidence: Producing a fully US-made phone isn't something you spin up overnight.' 'If the Trump phone is promising a $499 price tag with domestic manufacturing, this announcement looks to be classic vaporware.' Purism's phone costs $650 to produce and retails for $2,000. US President Donald Trump has been an avid proponent of reshoring US manufacturing, using tariffs as leverage to convince companies to build plants in the US and attacking Apple for manufacturing its iPhones in Asia, the news agency reported.
Washington Post
14 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump Mobile's phone service actually exists and it works
When President Donald Trump's family business announced its new wireless company early last week, I was stuck in customer purgatory that made me doubt it was real. I now have personal proof that Trump Mobile's wireless service exists and it's fine. In my testing, it's basically T-Mobile with a Trump-branded sheen. There are more questions about Trump Mobile's promised T1 smartphone. The company's website has altered its language about some phone details, including dropping that it's 'made in the USA.' A Trump Mobile spokesman told me that the company has facilities in the United States to put together the T1 phone, and that it's looking at a late summer launch. Mostly, my Trump Mobile experience offers a guide to test-driving alternatives to America's big three mobile behemoths of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. A new analysis suggests that switching to an alternative — though maybe not Trump Mobile — could save you hundreds of dollars a year. It's easier than ever to flirt with other phone carriers without divorcing your current one. Many newer smartphones have the option of 'eSIMs,' or virtual instructions to communicate with a wireless carrier. With an eSIM, you can almost instantly turn on a mobile carrier's service in addition to the one you're already using. The secondary option will have a different phone number. That's how I got started with Trump Mobile, but you can try it for most other carriers. After three days of limbo when I couldn't turn on the Trump Mobile service I was charged for, I finally got a customer service email with a QR code and instructions to activate the mobile service via an eSIM on my iPhone 13 Mini. (For iPhones, eSIMs are typically available for models from 2018 onward. Many Samsung and other Android phones let you use eSIMs, too.) With a couple of taps, I turned on Trump Mobile and temporarily turned off the current Verizon service. For now, that means I would pay for both. Trump Mobile charged $64.70 a month including unspecified fees, which likely makes it among the most expensive alternative providers. Next I used two apps, from Ookla and Opensignal, to track the wireless internet speeds I was getting from Trump Mobile at home, my office and around New York City. To compare, I tapped off the Trump Mobile service on my phone, turned Verizon back on and re-ran the speed tests. The mobile data speeds were often as good or better than what I was seeing when my iPhone was connected to Verizon, though occasionally much worse. Your mileage may vary. Based on my tests for the past week, Trump Mobile works fine for me. That shouldn't be surprising. Alternative providers like Trump Mobile, Mint Mobile, U.S. Mobile and the cable-and-internet companies Xfinity and Spectrum pay to use the big three carriers' networks. Trump Mobile appears to use the T-Mobile network. (The Trump Mobile spokesman said customers have a choice of the big three networks. I wasn't given that option.) If you have a good experience with T-Mobile where you live, that suggests you could also have good coverage with Trump Mobile or other carriers that use T-Mobile's network like Mint, Google Fi and Ting. Stephen Brodeur, a mobile industry expert with the wireless price comparison site Navi, told me that real-world test-drives of a mobile provider, as I'm doing with Trump Mobile, is the best way to know if it will work well for you. Brodeur also said trying phone calls is essential to stress test a mobile provider. If you decide to switch to an alternative wireless provider, you have the legal right to transfer your mobile number. You might need to pay off your smartphone if your current bill includes monthly device payments. The cost savings of switching can be huge. For example, if you have one phone line on Verizon's $72-a-month Unlimited Welcome plan and upgrade to a free iPhone 16, Navi calculates that you'd pay about $2,574 over three years. If you switched to a comparable Spectrum Mobile plan, you'd pay nearly full price for the iPhone 16 from the carrier, but your monthly bill would be $30 at most. Over three years, Navi calculates you'll save about $1,200. Phone plans aren't directly comparable. They might have different perks like streaming subscriptions or Trump Mobile's promised telemedicine service. Ahmed Khattak, U.S. Mobile's CEO, also said some smaller alternative carriers might not have all the device features you expect such as visual voicemail. James Gray from the telecom consulting firm Graystone Strategy said that you should also consider the ease of getting customer service from mobile providers. If you prefer to walk into a store for help, that might not be an option with all the non-big three providers. In a recent survey of Consumer Reports members, though, alternative providers U.S. Mobile, Consumer Cellular and Ting were the only carriers that received top marks for customer support.
Malay Mail
21 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Trump mobile phone rebrands — no longer ‘Made in the USA', just inspired by it
WASHINGTON, June 27 — The Trump mobile phone is no longer being billed as 'Made in the USA' as it was when the idea was launched but is now being advertised as 'designed with American values in mind,' according to the website, reported German news agency dpa. 'The T1 isn't just another smartphone — it's a bold step toward wireless independence. Designed with American values in mind, the T1 delivers top-tier performance, sleek design, and powerful features — all without the inflated price tag,' the website says. 'With American hands behind every device, we bring care, precision, and trusted quality to every detail,' the blurb continues. Other changes have been made, with the gold-coloured phone slightly smaller at a 15.87cm (6.25 inch) diagonal, down from 17.22cm (6.78 inch) previously. Introduction is now set for later this year, and no longer September. Scepticism has swirled around the T1 since its June unveiling, particularly over the claim that it could be produced in the US for US$499 (RM2,110) — a price many experts deemed unrealistic given the lack of domestic manufacturing capacity. Trump has been attempting to push Apple to manufacture in the US by threatening tariffs among other measures. Tech analyst Dan Ives recently estimated that it would be years before an iPhone could be made in the US, and that it would cost more than US$3,000. Currently, Apple products are mostly imported to the US from India rather than China, while nearly all smartphones worldwide are manufactured in Asia. The T1 is being launched by a company called T1 Mobile LLC, which is licensing the Trump name. The phone was unveiled in Trump's signature gold, with sons Donald Jr and Eric Trump leading the announcement. — Bernama-dpa
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trumps drop 'Made in the USA' claim for new phone and a debate ensues: How to define 'made'?
By Bernard Condon NEW YORK: When the Trump family unveiled a new phone before a giant American flag at its headquarters earlier this month, the pitch was simple and succinct, packed with pure patriotism: "Made in the U.S.A." The Trumps are apparently having second thoughts. How about "proudly American"? Those are the two words that have replaced the "Made in the USA" pitch that just a few days ago appeared on the website where customers can pre-order the so-called T-1 gold-toned phones with an American flag etched on the back. Elsewhere on the site, other vague terms are now being used, describing the $499 phone as boasting an "American-Proud Design" and "brought to life right here in the U.S.A." The Federal Trade Commission requires that items labeled " Made in USA " be "all or virtually all" produced in the U.S. and several firms have been sued over misusing the term. The Trump Organization has not explained the change and has not responded to a request for comment. Neither did an outside public relations firm handling the Trumps' mobile phone business , including a request to confirm a statement made to another media outlet. "T1 phones are proudly being made in America," said Trump Mobile spokesman Chris Walker, according to USA Today. "Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate." The language change on the website was first reported by the news site The Verge. An expert on cell phone technology, IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo, said he's not surprised the Trump family has dropped the "Made in the USA" label because it's nearly impossible to build one here given the higher cost and lack of infrastructure to do so. But, of course, you can claim to do it. "Whether it is possible or not to build this phone in the US depends on what you consider 'build,'" Jeronimo said. "If it's a question of assembling components and targeting small volumes, I suppose it's somehow possible. You can always get the components from China and assemble them by hand somewhere." "You're going to have phones that are made right here in the United States of America," said Trump's son Eric to Fox News recently, adding, "It's about time we bring products back to our great country." The Trump family has flown the American flag before with Trump-branded products of suspicious origin, including its "God Bless the USA" Bibles, which an Associated Press investigation last year showed were printed in China. The Trump phone is part of a bigger family mobile business plan designed to tap into MAGA enthusiasm for the president. The two sons running the business, Eric and Don Jr., announced earlier this month that they would offer mobile phone plans for $47.45 a month, a reference to their father's status as the 45th and 47th president. The call center, they said, will be in the U.S., too. "You're not calling up call centers in Bangladesh," Eric Trump said on Fox News. "We're doing it out of St. Louis, Missouri." The new service has been blasted by government ethics experts for a conflict of interest, given that President Donald Trump oversees the Federal Communications Commission that regulates the business and is investigating phone service companies that are now Trump Mobile rivals. Trump has also threatened to punish cell phone maker Apple, now a direct competitor, threatening to slap 25% tariffs on devices because of its plans to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Trump mobile phone may not be ‘made in the USA' after all
WASHINGTON: The Trump mobile phone is no longer being billed as 'Made in the USA' as it was when the idea was launched but is now being advertised as 'designed with American values in mind,' according to the website, reported German news agency dpa. 'The T1 isn't just another smartphone – it's a bold step toward wireless independence. Designed with American values in mind, the T1 delivers top-tier performance, sleek design, and powerful features - all without the inflated price tag,' the website says. 'With American hands behind every device, we bring care, precision, and trusted quality to every detail,' the blurb continues. Other changes have been made, with the gold-coloured phone slightly smaller at a 15.87 cm (6.25 inch) diagonal, down from 17.22 cm (6.78 inch) previously. Introduction is now set for later this year, and no longer September. Scepticism has swirled around the T1 since its June unveiling, particularly over the claim that it could be produced in the US for US$499 — a price many experts deemed unrealistic given the lack of domestic manufacturing capacity. Trump has been attempting to push Apple to manufacture in the US by threatening tariffs among other measures. Tech analyst Dan Ives recently estimated that it would be years before an iPhone could be made in the US, and that it would cost more than US$3,000. Currently, Apple products are mostly imported to the US from India rather than China, while nearly all smartphones worldwide are manufactured in Asia. The T1 is being launched by a company called T1 Mobile LLC, which is licensing the Trump name. The phone was unveiled in Trump's signature gold, with sons Donald Jr and Eric Trump leading the announcement.
