US-made device planned by end of year hit by recent government shutdown affecting shipments

Trump Mobile, the phone company launched by Donald Trump’s family business, has pushed back plans to deliver a $499 gold-coloured smartphone by the end of the year.

The T1 smartphone, described by the company as “proudly American”, was initially promoted as a US-made rival to devices from Apple and Samsung. Almost all smartphones sold in the US are made overseas, primarily in China and South Korea but also increasingly in India and Vietnam.

It remains unclear who could manufacture the T1 handset, given the low levels of domestic smartphone production in the US.

  • SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world
    5·
    6 hours ago

    The Hogfather is grifting the same people who send their Social Security check to Joel Oafsteen and Kenneth Crapland.

  • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
    94·
    1 day ago

    The company has also recently started selling secondhand smartphones from Apple and Samsung on its website, which it states come “without the inflated price tag”.

    However, a refurbished iPhone 15, which was launched in September 2023, costs $629 (£467) through Trump Mobile, whereas customers can buy a newer model, an iPhone 16 from 2024, directly from Apple for $699.

    The grift is so real

    • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
      48·
      1 day ago

      I struggle not to blame the victims. It’s extremely well-documented that he’s a con artist and grifter. When doing business with such a person, should we not expect to get scammed?

      • ghostlychonk@lemmy.world
        34·
        1 day ago

        I’ll blame the victims. They’ve been told repeatedly what kind of man he is and exactly what he thinks of them, but they still keep buying into his bullshit.

        Honestly, willfull ignorance should hurt.

        • n0respect@lemmy.world
          9·
          12 hours ago

          I just saw Wicked 2. There was a line in that [paraphrased]:

          Take it from an old carny … If you tell them the grift, show them the truth, they’ll just believe it even more!

  • Keilik@lemmy.world
    31·
    1 day ago

    Let’s face it, we’ve all had that thought that if we abandoned our morals or internal sense of justice we could make so much fucking money.

    • SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      2·
      5 hours ago

      The weirdest part is people who think that disregarding or not having any code of ethics in order to make money are super smart or better people. I’ve genuinely run into people like this, who think they’re grinding and being really clever, and people who aren’t just haven’t thought about what they’re doing or couldn’t pull it off and are inferior and don’t deserve wellness in society.

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      14·
      1 day ago

      I’m remembering that $999 app for the iPhone that had no purpose other than to show others you could afford it.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Rich

      It was removed almost immediately, but even in that short time, six people bought it.

      When I wonder just who in the fuck would fall for one of Donvict’s many ridiculous grifts, I remember this.

      • Javi@feddit.ukEnglish
        6·
        7 hours ago

        The complaint outlined on that wiki is funny.

        “I clicked buy thinking it was a joke”.

        Salesmen must absolutely love them.

        • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          6 hours ago

          Salesmen must absolutely love them.

          You can say that again. I’m sure a whole lot of industries are buttressed by terrible and rash decisions made by people…

    • Janx@piefed.socialEnglish
      16·
      22 hours ago

      Grifting vulnerable people is not “genius”, it’s just immoral. Most of us won’t do it because it’s wrong and hurts others. I’m sick of pretending it’s because we don’t have brilliant galaxy-brains…