The Mystery of the Missing Gold Phone

A golden smartphone, promised by a business linked to former President Donald Trump, is still nowhere to be seen. This phone, called the T1, was supposed to hit the market last year. It was going to be a shiny, gold-colored device priced at $500, which seemed like a steal compared to the latest iPhones that cost between $800 and $1, 200. Initially, the company behind the T1, Trump Mobile, claimed it would be "proudly designed and built in the United States. " However, this claim quickly changed. The company started using vague language, describing the phone as having an "American-proud" design without explaining what that meant. Experts believe the shift in language happened because building a smartphone in the U. S. is challenging. The supply chain and logistics required to make a smartphone for less than $1, 000 are complex. This is the same reason why Apple has not moved its iPhone manufacturing from China and India, despite pressure from President Trump. The release date of the T1 has also been a moving target. Initially, it was supposed to be available by August or September last year. Then, the company became more vague, saying it would be released by the end of 2025. As of now, the website still lists the release date as "later this year. "The company has not responded to questions about the delays. However, a customer representative reportedly attributed the delay to the 43-day government shutdown last year. Whether this is the real reason or not, the ongoing absence of the T1 from the smartphone market is not surprising to industry analysts. "We have always been quite skeptical about this phone, " said Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at International Data Corp. "They are probably finding that it is harder to build a phone than they thought it would be. Let's see if this thing comes to life or not. " While the T1 remains in limbo, Trump Mobile has been selling its wireless service for $47. 45 per month. This price is tied to Donald Trump's titles as the 47th and 45th President. For customers looking for a smartphone that they can use sooner rather than later, Trump Mobile is also selling refurbished versions of older iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy models at prices ranging from $370 to $630. "Maybe they changed their strategy and figured out they are better off just selling refurbished phones, " Jeronimo said.