A gold phone promised by President Donald Trump’s family company last year remains mysteriously under wraps as the tech industry shows off a plethora of new products at CES in Las Vegas this week.
When the Trump Organization launched its mobile phone service last June, it was considered a stage for a new gold-colored smartphone with a price tag of $500 — a bargain compared with the $800 to $1,200 for Apple’s latest iPhone models. The newly formed Trump Mobile aims to release the T1 phone in August or September.
More importantly, Trump moves initial T1 praises the T1 as a device “proudly designed and built in the USA for customers who expect the best.”
But the T1’s shipping date and U.S. manufacturing ambitions are slowly starting to shift, even as Trump Mobile continues $100 equipment deposit accepted.
Shortly after announcing the device, Trump Mobile shifted from describing it as a phone that would be made in the U.S. to framing it As a device that is “Proudly American.” Trump Mobile’s website now touts the T1 as having a “proudly American” design, but offers no further explanation.
Analysts believe the shift stems from the recognition that the U.S. lacks the supply chain and other logistics needed to produce smartphones under $1,000 — the same obstacles that have made it difficult for Apple to achieve its goal. Acquiesce to President Trump’s demands The company is shifting its iPhone manufacturing operations from China and India.
Later this summer, Trump Mobile also became more vague about the launch date of the T1, but still said it would be delivered to customers who paid a $100 deposit by the end of 2025. Trump Mobile’s website continues to list the T1’s target release date as “later this year.”
The Trump Organization did not respond to inquiries from The Associated Press about delays or when the device is expected to be shipped. The Financial Times recently reported that a Trump Mobile customer service representative told the phone it would ship in late January, attributing its delay to last year’s 43-day federal government shutdown.
Whatever the reason, IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo isn’t surprised by the T1’s continued absence from the smartphone market.
“We’ve always been skeptical about this phone,” Geronimo said. “They may find that making a phone is harder than they thought. Let’s see if it can happen.”
While T1 remains in the holding, Trump Mobile has been selling its wireless service for $47.45 per month – a price tied to Donald Trump’s titles as the 47th and 45th president. For customers looking to get their smartphones ASAP, Trump Mobile also Selling refurbished versions Prices for older iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models range from $370 to $630.
“Maybe they changed their strategy and found it would be better to only sell refurbished phones,” Geronimo said.