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 Trumpmobile.com 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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
39 minutes ago
- The Sun
Nike to cut China output for US market to ease tariff blow
BENGALURU: Nike said it would cut its reliance on production in China for the US market to mitigate the impact from US tariffs on imports, and forecast a smaller-than-expected drop in first-quarter revenue, sending its shares up 11% in extended trading. US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on imports from key trading partners could add around US$1 billion (RM4.2 billion) to Nike's costs, company executives said on a post-earnings call after the sportswear giant topped estimates for fourth-quarter results. China, subject to the biggest tariff increases imposed by Trump, accounts for about 16% of the shoes Nike imports into the US, chief financial officer Matthew Friend said. But the company aims to cut the figure to a 'high single-digit percentage range' by the end of May 2026 as it reallocates China production to other countries. 'We will optimize our sourcing mix and allocate production differently across countries to mitigate the new cost headwind into the US,' he said on a call with investors. Consumer goods is one of the most affected areas by the tariff dispute between the world's two largest economies, but Nike's executives said they were focused on cutting the financial pain. Nike will 'evaluate' corporate cost reductions to deal with the tariff impact, Friend said. The company has already announced price increases for some products in the US 'The tariff impact is significant. However, I expect others in the sportswear industry will also raise prices, so Nike may not lose much share in the US,' said David Swartz, analyst at Morningstar Research. CEO Elliott Hill's strategy to focus product innovation and marketing around sports is beginning to show some fruit with the running category returning to growth in the fourth quarter after several quarters of weakness. Having lost share in the fast-growing running market, Nike has invested heavily in running shoes such as Pegasus and Vomero, while scaling back production of sneakers such as the Air Force 1. 'Running has performed especially strongly for Nike,' said Citi analyst Monique Pollard, adding that new running shoes and sportswear products are expected to offset the declines in Nike's classic sneaker franchises at wholesale partner stores. Marketing spending was up 15% year-on-year in the quarter. On Thursday, Nike hosted an event in which its sponsored athlete Faith Kipyegon attempted to run a mile in under four minutes. Paced by other star athletes in the glitzy and live-streamed from a Paris stadium, Kipyegon fell short of the goal but set a new unofficial record. – Reuters
Malaysian Reserve
an hour ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Report: Electric vehicles worldwide reach 56m
STUTTGART — The number of electric vehicles increased by around one-third last year to 55.8 million, with China and its 31.4 million vehicles accounting for more than 50 per cent of the global total, according to calculations from a German energy research institute. Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported that the figures compiled by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wurttemberg (ZSW) include fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, or electric cars with range extenders. In second place – with a significant gap from China's top spot – the United States follows with 6.4 million vehicles. Germany ranks third with 2.6 million. The United Kingdom and France each have around 2.1 million, while Norway has just over 1 million. After years of strong increases, a decline has been observed in 2024. The fleet grew by 13.8 million vehicles, compared to 14.2 million in 2023. — BERNAMA-WAM
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
RTL buys Sky Deutschland in deal to take on US streaming giants
BERLIN: European broadcaster RTL Group said on Friday it would buy Sky Deutschland, in a deal that combines Sky's sports and streaming offerings with RTL's news and entertainment brands to create a business with 11.5 million paying subscribers. Shares in RTL surged 12 per cent following announcement of the deal, rising to the top of Germany's mid-cap index. The merger brings together two of Europe's strongest media offerings in sport and entertainment in a battle to catch up with U.S. heavyweights in Germany. RTL and Sky's combined streaming services boast an audience larger than that of Disney but far behind market leaders Netflix and Amazon Prime. The deal includes a 150 million euro (US$176 million) upfront payment plus a variable component of up to 377 million euros depending on RTL's share price which Sky parent Comcast can trigger any time within five years. The purchase gives RTL, which is majority-owned by German media group Bertelsmann, local access to Sky's premium sports rights including Bundesliga and Premier League soccer, and Formula 1 motor racing, as well as Sky's WOW streaming service. A person familiar with the situation said RTL had approached Sky for the deal, and that Sky was not looking to sell any other part of its business. RTL chief executive Thomas Rabe described the deal as "transformational" for the group and said it would create cost savings of around 250 million euros per year within three years of the deal closing. In the past, Rabe had considered a bid for German competitor ProSiebenSat.1 but doubted whether competition regulators would give that the green light. He told Reuters in a separate interview that RTL would not be involved in any further consolidation in the German market. "The issue of a merger with ProSiebenSat.1 is now definitely off the table," he said. ProSieben, for its part, is trying to fend off a takeover from MFE, the TV broadcaster controlled by Italy's Berlusconi family, which wants to build on its commercial TV operations in Italy and Spain to create a pan-European broadcaster. Sky Deutschland, which operates in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, was on track to break even on an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) basis, Sky Group Chief Executive Dana Strong said. The business reported around 2 billion euros in annual revenue. The variable component of the deal with Sky depends on RTL's share price, which was 35.40 euros at 0721 GMT in Frankfurt trade following a jump in value after announcement of the deal. Comcast can trigger it at any time within five years of the deal being finalised provided the share price exceeds 41 euros. At a share price of 70 euros, the additional payment for Comcast would be capped at 377 million euros. RTL can pay in cash, shares or a combination of both.
