Why Trump Mobile's $499 smartphone likely won't be made in the USA — at least not yet
Trump Mobile's vow to make a $499 gilded smartphone in the US by this summer with some specs that exceed high-end Apple iPhones — and for a fraction of the price — has industry experts calling it fool's gold.
The T1 phone touted by the president's sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. will feature a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, 256GB of storage with expandable memory and a 50-megapixel rear camera array, according to its website.
Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max — which is mainly made in China — also offers a 6.8-inch screen and 256 gigabytes of storage, but the rear camera maxes out at 48 megapixels — and costs $1,199.
'There's absolutely no way you could make the screen, get that memory, camera, battery, everything' in the US, Tinglong Dai, a Johns Hopkins University business professor, told the Wall Street Journal.
4 The Trump Organization's promise of a $499 'Made in USA' smartphone is generating questions.
Trump Mobile
He estimated it would take 'at least five years' to build the infrastructure needed for domestic smartphone production.
Even Eric Trump appeared to walk back that the T1 will be entirely manufactured and assembled in the US by its expected August launch date during an interview Monday with podcaster Benny Johnson.
Holding up what looked like a gold-plated iPhone, he said: 'You can build these phones in the United States. Eventually, all the phones can be built in the United States of America. We have to bring manufacturing back here.'
The company said in a press release that the Android-based handset would be 'proudly designed and built in the United States.'
4 Donald Trump Jr. announced the launch of Trump Mobile at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday.
AP
Trump Mobile has not disclosed where the first wave of T1 phones will be built, or which suppliers will provide the components.
The Post has sought comment from Trump Mobile.
'If the Trump Phone is promising a $499 price tag with domestic manufacturing, this announcement looks to be classic vaporware,' said Todd Weaver, CEO of Purism, referring to the unlikelihood of a US-manufactured phone being available at that price.
4 The T1 phone will feature a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage with expandable memory, a 50-megapixel rear camera array, a 16-megapixel selfie cam and a 5,000 mAh battery.
Trump Mobile
Given the technical specifications and the $499 price point, analysts believe early units could originate from Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi or Oppo, which have the capability to produce premium Android phones at that cost.
Smartphones are produced through a complex global supply chain.
Key components like processors are typically designed in the US and manufactured in Taiwan, displays come from South Korea, camera sensors from Japan (Sony) and various other parts from suppliers in China, Europe and Southeast Asia.
4 From left to right: Eric Trump, Don Hendrickson, Eric Thomas, Patrick O'Brien and Donald Trump Jr.
AP
Final assembly usually occurs in China, India or Vietnam at massive facilities run by contract manufacturers such as Foxconn, Pegatron or Compal.
Dai said the current industrial focus in the US is on regaining leadership in semiconductors and other critical technologies — not on smartphone assembly.
Last month, President Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff for any iPhone sold but not made in the United States — putting new pressure on CEO Tim Cook to move manufacturing out of Asia.
One area where a quick rollout is more feasible is the Trump Mobile wireless service.
Like other MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), Trump Mobile can lease capacity from existing carriers and offer its own branded plans, much like Mint Mobile did before being acquired by T-Mobile.
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