Liberty Phone touts ‘made in the USA electronics' — but costs $1,999

New York Post

4 hours ago

A California-based company has come out with a smartphone that is almost entirely manufactured in the US, although it uses outdated parts and its technology can't compete with the iPhone — and it costs $2,000.
The privacy-focused Liberty Phone by the tech startup Purism is assembled, tested and packaged in the US, with its printed circuit board (PCB) also manufactured domestically.
Software development, including the PureOS operating system, is handled entirely in the US. The mainboard, which is the central circuit board that allows communication between all the major components, and the key circuit board modules are made domestically.
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5 Purism, a Carlsbad, Calif-based tech company, is marketing a $1,999 smartphone made up of parts almost entirely sourced in the US.
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However, key components like the chassis, camera, modem and WiFi/BT modules are sourced from overseas suppliers, primarily in China and India. The screen and battery are imported from China while the camera is made in South Korea.
'I've been working on this for 10 years and we've done everything we possibly can to build from US manufacturing,' Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of Purism, told the Wall Street Journal.
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The processor is made by a Dutch firm while the chip itself could be manufactured either in South Korea or elsewhere in Asia or Europe.
'There are just some parts that don't yet have a supply chain. We're gonna keep incrementing there until we can get to that point.'
Weaver, whose assembly line consists of four people screwing phones together by hand, told the Journal that Purism is capable of producing Liberty Phones at a rate of about 10,000 per month.
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Thus far, he said his company, which was founded in 2014, has sold fewer than 100,000. Weaver told NBC News that it took Purism six years from initially conceiving the phone as a vision to actually producing it and selling it.
By comparison, Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is said to be capable of producing up to 500,000 iPhones per day during peak periods — which translates into 10,000 iPhones per every 12 minutes at maximum capacity.
Purism emphasizes its US-based manufacturing for security-critical elements, while acknowledging the global nature of its supply chain.
5 Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of Purism, said his company has sold fewer than 100,000 Liberty Phones.
Purism
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While Purism is unable to compete with the tech behemoths on price and features, its main sales pitch is for security-conscious consumers who don't want their data collected by the likes of Apple and Google.
The Liberty Phone runs PureOS, an open-source Linux-based operating system. The device features hardware kill switches that physically disconnect the microphone, camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and baseband modem — capabilities virtually unheard of in mainstream smartphones.
But PureOS allows the user to engage in rudimentary functions only, such as calling, texting, web browsing and using basic apps such as a calculator, according to the Journal.
Half of those who bought the Liberty are US government workers who are attracted to the phone's more stringent security and privacy features, the Journal reported.
5 Purism is marketing the phone to security-conscious consumers worried about their privacy being compromised by tech giants.
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'On the consumer side, it's security geeks, parents who want a phone for their kid, elderly people or people who want to avoid big tech,' says Weaver. 'Someone who needs a wicked-strong camera is not our audience.'
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Apple and other major firms to shift manufacturing to the US, threatening a 25% tariff on iPhones made overseas.
He has criticized Apple CEO Tim Cook for expanding production in India and insists that iPhones sold in the US should be built domestically.
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While Apple has invested in US infrastructure and AI development, experts say relocating full iPhone production to America would be prohibitively expensive and logistically complex.
Trump's family-owned Trump Organization recently unveiled its own Android-powered smartphone called the T1.
5 Smartphone retailers like Samsung rely on supply chains that are based overseas.
REUTERS
Although the phone is marketed as 'made in the USA,' analysts believe it's likely produced by a Chinese manufacturer with minimal US involvement.
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The business operates as a licensing deal, with Trump branding licensed to T1 Mobile LLC, targeting conservative consumers seeking American-themed alternatives.
Apple typically sells tens of millions of iPhones each month, with exact figures varying by quarter and market conditions. Based on recent data, Apple shipped approximately 151.3 million iPhones in the first nine months of 2024. This averages out to about 16.8 million iPhones per month during that period.
Google currently produces about 43,000–45,000 Pixel smartphones per month in India, while its global shipments average 766,000 units monthly based on data from the second quarter of last year.
In comparison, Samsung produces around 20 million smartphones per month globally, with up to 5 million Galaxy S25 units manufactured in peak launch months like January 2025.
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5 Last week, the Trump Organization unveiled a new smartphone that is being marketed as 'made in the USA.'
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Apple's iPhone lineup ranges from $599 for the iPhone 16E to $1,399+ for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with popular models like the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro priced at $799 and $999, respectively.
Google's Pixel series starts at $499 for the Pixel 9a and climbs to $1,799 for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while the standard Pixel 9 and 9 Pro cost $799 and $999.
Samsung's Galaxy S25 models begin around $799, rise to $999–$1,099 for the S25 Plus, and top out at $1,299–$1,419 for the S25 Ultra, depending on the retailer.
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While most iPhones are manufactured in China, Google Pixels are produced in Vietnam and China. Samsung Galaxy devices are primarily made in South Korea, Vietnam and India.
The Post has sought comment from Weaver and Purism.