FCC says China Mobile could face US fines for failing to cooperate in probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday it could fine China Mobile for failing to answer questions in the agency's probe to determine if its U.S. operations are seeking to evade American restrictions.
The FCC previously barred China Mobile and other Chinese companies from providing telecommunications services in the United States, citing national security concerns. The FCC said in March it was investigating nine Chinese companies including China Mobile, Huawei Technologies, ZTE, Hangzhou Hikvision and China Telecom to determine if they are seeking to evade U.S. restrictions.
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CNN
17 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump's sons say his new phone will be built in the US. Experts say it looks a lot like a phone from China
When the Trump Organization unveiled its new Trump Mobile wireless service on Monday, it said its upcoming T1 smartphone will be 'proudly designed and built in the United States.' But experts told CNN they're skeptical that a smartphone can be built in the US based on the specifications, price and timeline laid out by Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump, when they announced the phone. Experts pointed out striking similarities between the T1's specifications and an already available, Chinese-made phone. 'Unless the Trump family secretly built out a secure, onshore or nearshore (fabrication) operation over years of work without anyone noticing, it's simply not possible to deliver what they're promising,' said Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism, one of the only known companies to actually manufacture a cell phone in the United States. CNN has reached out to the Trump Organization for comment. President Donald Trump is not involved in the daily operations of the Trump Organization, which is run by the president's eldest sons, the company said in January. The announcement comes as the president has been pushing to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, particularly in the tech industry. He's pressured companies like Apple and Samsung to manufacture their phones in the US, saying companies who make their phones elsewhere will face a tariff of at least 25%. The Trump family say on Trump Mobile's website and in the formal announcement in Trump Tower on Monday that the phone will be 'Made in the USA.' But later, in a clip from an interview with conservative media personality Benny Johnson, Eric Trump said 'eventually all the phones can be built in the United States of America.' CNN has asked the Trump Organization whether the T1 phone will initially be built in the US. Both Weaver and a second expert, Max Weinbach, an analyst at market research firm Creative Strategies, independently told CNN they believe the T1 phone looks like a version of the already available Revvl 7 Pro 5G, made by China-based Wingtech, which provides manufacturing services for smartphones and other products. The phone retails for around $169 on Amazon. Weinbach and Weaver base this off the specifications listed by Trump Mobile, including the phone's body, battery and camera resolution. There's no direct evidence linking Trump's phone directly to the Revvl 7 Pro 5G or any specific phone made outside the US. CNN has reached out to Wingtech for comment. 'There (are) only realistically four or five smartphone ODM (original device manufacturers) that would actually be able to manufacture something like this,' Weinbach said. 'All of them are based out of China.' The Revvl device has the same screen size, battery capacity and storage as the T1 phone according to the information listed on the Trump Mobile website , and both phones have a headphone jack – a rare find on modern smartphones. However, the Revvl's camera is slightly different, and the T1 phone has more memory. Revvl's camera is slightly different, and the T1 phone has more memory. Another device labeled the Vtex Smart Phone listed on Made-in-China, a website for connecting buyers with Chinese suppliers, has specifications that are nearly identical to the T1's – including the same battery capacity, camera arrangement and supported software version, although it's unclear if the device has a headphone jack, and there are some differences in the memory and display. CNN has reached out to Shenzen Vitek Electronics Co., the company behind the Vtex Smart Phone, for comment. Weinbach says it's common for companies to customize devices made by ODMs before selling them under their own brand. 'A lot of them share the same components, parts, boards and antenna hardware,' he said. 'So, you can swap out a couple of things.' In a press release, the Trump Organization said Trump Mobile's products are not 'designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals.' Building a phone in the US would be challenging, if not impossible, for a September 2025 launch in part because the US doesn't currently have the necessary fabrication plants, said Ryan Reith, Group Vice President for the International Data Corporation's Worldwide Device Tracker. And many of the components would likely still come from overseas. 'Any phone (that) is going to be sold in September, or shipped in September into the US, the majority of it's not going to be manufactured in the US,' said Reith. 'That's a given.' For example, Trump has pushed for months for Apple to build its signature product, the iPhone, in the United States. But that would mean a massive supply chain shift away from China and India. Nor would it mean just a change in factory resources – those countries also have highly specialized work forces that the US lacks. The result could mean price hikes or design changes for the iPhone, some analysts estimate. Weaver told CNN that sometime within the last year intermediaries working with the Trump Organization had been looking at Purism's phone and speaking to the company about what it takes to make a phone in the United States. Purism makes the $1,999 Liberty Phone, which touts itself as a secure 'Made in America' phone, although even they are forced to source some parts from abroad. 'There are certain areas where you're going to still need to have a global supply chain. One example is a crystal that goes in our GNSS chip or GPS chip. That single crystal is only manufactured in China,' Weaver said. Weaver pointed out the Federal Trade Commission has 'strict guidelines' on claiming an item is 'Made in the USA.' 'I do believe there will be a massive amount of back pedaling that goes on,' Weaver said. 'Just to manufacture a phone in the US with the chip sets you're actually getting, purchase and support with the US supply chain is a massive undertaking, and that's also the reason why we happen to be the only ones doing it.'
CNET
18 minutes ago
- CNET
Act Fast to Grab a New Pair of AirPods When You Buy an Apple iPad or Laptop for School
Apple's array of iPads and MacBooks is known for its high-quality, durability and reliability. However, these devices are also known for their expense, which can make them a hard sell for students and educators. The good news is that Apple has an education discount that applies to students, teachers and other eligible school personnel, offering savings on useful, task-ready and high-quality devices. A free pair of Apple AirPods 4 can even be had for a limited time. We'll explain below. To grab your free gift, you must purchase one of Apple's eligible devices. If you're looking for an iPad, the iPad Air starts at $549 with the education discount, a $50 savings over the usual $599 asking price. The 11-inch iPad Pro is also eligible for a free gift and starts at $899, a $100 discount over the usual asking price. Several MacBooks are also eligible for a free gift when you shop using an education discount. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops are part of this back-to-school deals event, start at $899 and $1,099, respectively. For those who need a laptop that provides more power, there are also education discounts on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which means prices start at $1,499. Finally, iMacs start at $1,249 and include 24-inch 4.5K retina monitors with each model. All eligible purchases include Apple TV+ for free for a limited time, and you can subscribe for less with a student discount. You can also trade in eligible devices and pay the difference, pay for your devices over time or customize devices where applicable. A free gift is even available with certain eligible purchases, including a free pair of Apple AirPods 4, which can be custom-engraved. Select purchases are also eligible for a free Apple Pencil, Magic Mouse and more. Other offers include a credit of up to $250 when you trade in an iPhone 12 or higher. Keep in mind that this trade-in credit is available until June 18. Looking for a new tablet or laptop but aren't sure if these back-to-school deals are for you? Check out our list of the best laptops for college and the best tablets to determine if any of the featured models are more your speed. Why this deal matters Apple devices are excellent for students, teachers and just about everyone else who needs a new upgrade. They're durable, reliable and stylish. However, the brand's excellent lineup commands a high price. Apple's education discounts offer students, educators and staff the opportunity to lock in new deals for less, while also nabbing a free accessory to prepare for the upcoming school year.
Fox News
22 minutes ago
- Fox News
South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers rejected tempting transfer offers, the college football star's father says
The advent of name, image, and likeness (NIL) has significantly altered the college sports landscape. High-profile college athletes will often consider projected NIL figures before they commit to or transfer to another school. South Carolina football star LaNorris Sellers received tempting offers designed to entice him to enter the transfer portal. "He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers," Sellers' father, Norris, told The Athletic. The South Carolina quarterback ultimately turned down the offers in favor of remaining with the Gamecocks, according to his father. At least one of the lucrative proposals "he heard was for $8 million for two years," Sellers' father said. He also suggested that his son never intended to play college football to simply "make money" and that another university "offering more" wasn't enough to motivate the quarterback to transfer. "I told him he could say, 'I'm gonna stay or I'm gonna go.' [But] my two cents: It was to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree, and go on about our business," Norris Sellers said. "This NIL deal came later. We didn't come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we're not gonna jump ship because they're offering more than what we're getting. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sellers, who will be classified as a redshirt sophomore this fall, finished the 2024 season with 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He will be eligible for the NFL draft after the 2025 college season. Sellers and South Carolina are slated to open the regular season on Aug. 31 against Virginia Tech in Atlanta. College athletes started receiving compensation for their names, images, and likenesses in 2021. At the time, many athletic boosters formed groups called collectives. The collective effectively tapped NIL funds as de facto salaries for their respective teams. Prominent players have received millions of dollars from collectives. However, a federal judge's recent decision on a $2.8 billion settlement paved the way for college and university athletic departments to cut checks directly to athletes. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the multi-billion The House v. NCAA settlement. Wilken's ruling came just weeks before July 1, the date many schools planned to begin issuing payments directly to athletes. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
