- Trump Mobile’s T1 phone is still delayed
- It can be shipped in March
- But test and certification results may delay that again
The Trump Mobile T1 phone, the strange Android 15 device that inexplicably still has a 3.5mm headphone jack, may finally be in customers’ hands in March. This is according to a Trump Mobile customer service representative contacted by TechRadar.
It’s months later than originally promised, and it’s not guaranteed either. The same rep told us the $499 phone is in the final stages of certification and field testing. The shipping date is based on it passing those tests and getting that certification, which likely means at least FCC licenses for use in the US.
The news follows an already somewhat checkered past for the Trump Mobile T1 phone. It was originally promised that it would be made in the United States. But practical considerations, like the fact that the majority of smartphone components are still made outside the US, made this virtually impossible.
The site quietly changed the language to: “American-proud design: T1Sm The phone isn’t just powerful – it’s brought to life right here in the US. With American hands behind every unit, we bring care, precision and reliable quality to every detail.”
That kind of fuzzy language bypasses the actual development, components and even construction, but manages to put the US at the center of the operation.
Back in June, Trump Mobile began collecting $100 per rose gold handset for pre-orders, but has since been silent on its development and delivery. The carrier is apparently selling its “The 47 Plan” cellular service, which can be used on other smartphones like the refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 and the refurbished iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 currently on sale through the site.
By the time the 6.25-inch T1 ships, it will only be a few months before Google unveils what is expected to be Android 17. An Android 15 T1 may soon seem like an antique. With so little information about the components, especially the mobile CPU, it’s unclear how well the T1 will support Android 17. There’s also no indication that it will have any AI capabilities.
Analysis: A big problem?
If and when the T1 is sent, it may be met with a big “meh.” When we asked on social media about the phone, we got little response. This is no iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel. Its main appeal may be if you really like imitation gold or are a fan of the current US president. In fact, this may be the first phone to have a required alignment with a particular political ideology.
Smartphones are generally not political entities, although the shenanigans behind the components and rare earth minerals required to create them can sometimes be (see a certain person’s hunt for Greenland). So the T1 is an unusual smartphone that may be hampered in the US, where a large portion of the potential market will reject it out of hand due to branding and political affiliation.
Incidentally, President Trump is not directly affiliated with Trump Mobile, despite the name and his well-known MAGA motto appearing on the phone’s apparent lock screen. Still, if the phone doesn’t ship, or worse, it ships and is a terrible phone, it might still reflect on him in some way.
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