- Trump Mobile’s T1 phone is still late
- It could be shipped by March
- But test and certification results could delay it again
The Trump Mobile T1 phone, that strange Android 15 device that inexplicably still has a 3.5mm headphone jack, could finally arrive in customers’ hands in March. This, according to a Trump Mobile customer service representative contacted by TechRadar.
That’s months later than originally planned, 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 passing these tests and obtaining this certification, which likely means, at the very least, FCC licenses for use in the United States.
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. However, practical considerations, such as the fact that the majority of smartphone components are still manufactured outside the United States, have made this virtually impossible.
The site quietly changed the language to: “A proud American design: the T1SM The phone isn’t just powerful: it comes to life right here in the United States. With American hands behind every device, we bring care, precision and reliable quality to every detail. ยป
This kind of vague language bypasses actual development, components, and even construction, but manages to place the United States at the center of the operation.
Last June, Trump Mobile began collecting $100 per phone in rose gold for pre-orders, but since then it has remained quiet about its development and delivery. The operator is apparently selling its cellular service “The 47 Plan”, which can be used on other smartphones like the renewed Samsung Galaxy S24 and the renewed iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, currently for sale on the site.
By the time the 6.25-inch T1 hits the market, it will only be a few months before Google unveils what is expected to be Android 17. An Android 15 T1 could soon look like an antique. With so little information about the components, especially the mobile processor, it’s unclear how well the T1 will support Android 17. There’s also no indication that it will have AI capabilities.
Analysis: A big problem?
If and when the T1 ships, it might encounter a big “meh.” When we asked about the phone on social media, we received few responses. It’s not an iPhone, a Galaxy or a Pixel. Its main appeal might be if you really like fake gold or if you’re a fan of the current US president. In fact, it may be the first phone that aligns with a particular political ideology.
Smartphones are not generally political devices, although the machinations behind the components and rare earth minerals needed to create them can sometimes be (see a certain someone’s pursuit of Greenland). So the T1 is an unusual smartphone that could be hamstrung in the US, where much of the potential market will reject it out of hand due to its branding and political affiliation.
By the way, President Trump is not directly affiliated with Trump Mobile, despite the name and its well-known motto of MAGA appearing on the phone’s apparent lock screen. Still, if the phone doesn’t ship or, even worse, if it does ship and it’s a terrible phone, it may impact him in some way anyway.
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