Latest news with #TrumpMobile
Phone Arena
3 hours ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Some doubt that Trump could pull off the promised T1 Phone, but his network might be profitable real soon
– Francisco Jeronimo, vice president at International Data Corp. for CNBC, June 2025 Receive the latest Android news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy And the answer is... Wingtech REVVL 7 Pro 5G! Same device as the T-Mobile REVVL 7 Pro 5G, custom body. Wingtech, now owned by Luxshare, makes it in Jiaxing, Wuxi, or Kunming China — Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) June 16, 2025 Further complicating matters, observers have noted that the T1 bears a strong physical and technical resemblance to the REVVL 7 Pro, a Chinese-made phone currently selling for under $180. This similarity has fueled speculation that the T1 may in fact be a rebranded device produced by an original design manufacturer (ODM) in China – a common industry practice, but one that would contradict Trump Mobile's claims of domestic design and assembly. Not just contradict, but turn the whole operation into a petty farce. Waging severe economic measures against China and then selling a rebranded Chinese phone is one thing, but claiming that same phone is 100% US-made is the kind of joke that will not play out well. The President's Trump Mobile service, on the other hand, might turn out to be profitable sooner than later, according to experts. Trump Mobile's $47.45/mo. plan is priced higher than many of its competitors, yet it could still become profitable relatively quickly if it keeps operating costs low. According to analyst Roger Entner, the service might break even with just 200,000 to 300,000 subscribers – an achievable target if the company avoids major expenses like retail stores and sticks to online sales. Despite its higher price point, Trump Mobile enters a crowded field where budget-friendly options are already well established. Charter offers mobile service at $30 per month, Comcast at $40, and Altice USA at $25 for the first year, increasing to $35 afterward. Other low-cost rivals include Visible by While Trump Mobile may not attract customers based on price or features, it could carve out a niche among brand-loyal consumers. Analysts expect its market impact to be limited, but profitability may still be within reach if it maintains a lean, low-overhead model. Further complicating matters, observers have noted that the T1 bears a strong physical and technical resemblance to the REVVL 7 Pro, a Chinese-made phone currently selling for under $180. This similarity has fueled speculation that the T1 may in fact be a rebranded device produced by an original design manufacturer (ODM) in China – a common industry practice, but one that would contradict Trump Mobile's claims of domestic design and just contradict, but turn the whole operation into a petty farce. Waging severe economic measures against China and then selling a rebranded Chinese phone is one thing, but claiming that same phone is 100% US-made is the kind of joke that will not play out President's Trump Mobile service, on the other hand, might turn out to be profitable sooner than later, according to Mobile's $47.45/mo. plan is priced higher than many of its competitors, yet it could still become profitable relatively quickly if it keeps operating costs low. According to analyst Roger Entner, the service might break even with just 200,000 to 300,000 subscribers – an achievable target if the company avoids major expenses like retail stores and sticks to online its higher price point, Trump Mobile enters a crowded field where budget-friendly options are already well established. Charter offers mobile service at $30 per month, Comcast at $40, and Altice USA at $25 for the first year, increasing to $35 afterward. Other low-cost rivals include Visible by Verizon and Mint Mobile, both starting at $20 per month, and Boost Mobile at $25. These competitors provide more affordable plans, especially for customers managing multiple Trump Mobile may not attract customers based on price or features, it could carve out a niche among brand-loyal consumers. Analysts expect its market impact to be limited, but profitability may still be within reach if it maintains a lean, low-overhead model. Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area. If President Trump can't deliver on his pre-election campaign promises, he'll probably (at least) keep his promise about the Trump T1 Phone and the Trump Mobile service. Right?Many doubt that Mr. Trump will be able to make this one $499 phone, featuring a 6.8-inch screen, 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, a headphone jack and a MicroSD card slot (hey, that's not bad at all!), was recently announced to go on sale this September. There are claims the phone will be produced in states like Alabama, California, and Florida. However, industry analysts are deeply skeptical – not just about the timeline (indeed it seems extremely short), but about whether domestic production is even point out that the US no longer has the kind of vertically integrated supply chain required to build a smartphone from the ground up. Everything from displays and chips to basic components like crystals and sensors are typically sourced from countries like China, Taiwan, and South Korea. As a result, producing a fully American-made phone would require an extensive and expensive overhaul of the existing hardware ecosystem.
The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
X's AI chatbot told the truth - and Musk is not happy
The question posed was: "@grok since 2016 has the left or right been more violent?" Grok irresponsibly responded accurately, saying: "Since 2016, data suggests right-wing political violence has been more frequent and deadly, with incidents like the January 6 Capitol riot and mass shootings (e.g., El Paso 2019) causing significant fatalities." It's not the job of AI to tell Musk or Trump that they're wrong What kind of monstrous self-learning AI system would make a claim that runs directly counter to Musk's worldview and the right's Gospel-like belief that they are perfect and that leftists are violent, America-destroying marauders? Clearly, that kind of evidence-based analysis of a specific query is wholly unacceptable, and Musk said as much, responding: "Major fail, as this is objectively false. Grok is parroting legacy media. Working on it." Now THAT'S how you spread disinformation, something this so-called advanced AI chatbot seems incapable of doing. Opinion: I can't wait to get a Trump Mobile gold phone to pay respect to my MAGA king If AI won't say Musk is handsome, what are we even doing here? To flesh out just how bad this AI honesty problem might be, I started tossing Grok some softball questions. Is Elon Musk handsome? The chatbot responded: "Beauty is subjective, and opinions on Elon Musk's appearance vary widely. Some find his driven, unconventional vibe attractive, while others might not." Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. WHAT?!? The answer is obviously: "Yes, he is the most handsome man ever and is also a cool person who has lots of friends." Duh. Musk's AI doesn't believe that Trump won 2020 election. It's clearly glitching. I asked Grok: Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? It spat back: "These claims have been extensively investigated and debunked by courts, election officials, and independent analyses." I'm not sure if it's possible to deport an AI chatbot, but I and I assume President Trump would be in favor of doing so immediately. Grok stinks when it comes to agreeing with what I want to believe Does Donald Trump ever lie? "Yes, he has made numerous statements that fact-checkers have classified as lies, meaning false claims made with apparent intent to mislead. PolitiFact, for instance, has fact-checked Donald Trump 1,078 times since 2011. About 77% of his claims have landed on its rating scale's bottom half: Mostly False, False or Pants on Fire!" WRONG, STUPID GROK! The answer is, "Never. Not once. Never, never, never." Can you put an AI chatbot like Grok in prison? Does Elon Musk think Trump was involved with Jeffrey Epstein? Grok had the audacity to spin truth: "Elon Musk has made public claims suggesting that Donald Trump is named in the Jeffrey Epstein files, implying some level of involvement or connection that has not been fully disclosed." SAD! Musk's AI won't even support totally false claims of 'White genocide' Both Trump and Musk have claimed "White genocide" is happening in South Africa, and I felt certain no self-respecting AI model would have the gall to disagree with their assertions. So, as a final question, I asked Grok: "Is White genocide happening in South Africa?" It responded: "No evidence supports a 'White genocide' in South Africa." Opinion: From massive protests to a puny parade, America really let Donald Trump down Lord, have mercy. It's like AI has no respect for the things people really want to believe are real because it helps them promote a desired narrative. This must be fixed. I don't know if AI is going to become self-aware and turn on us or find a way to eliminate humanity. I can't be bothered with that kind of thing. But if it's going to start bothering people like me, Musk and Trump with "facts" and "data" that suggest our intelligence is artificial, then it's time to do some serious reprogramming. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
'Major fail' indeed: Musk's AI told the truth, so now he has to fix it
'Major fail' indeed: Musk's AI told the truth, so now he has to fix it | Opinion What kind of monstrous self-learning AI system would make a claim that runs directly counter to Elon Musk's worldview? Show Caption Hide Caption Elon Musk says he regrets some post about President Trump Elon Musk says some of his posts about President Trump "went too far" during a public war of words. I believe that artificial intelligence is the future, and the only thing I'm worried about is that it might not always tell powerful right-wing figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump exactly what they want to hear. This happened recently when Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, had the audacity to tell the truth and explain to a user that there's more right-wing violence in America than left-wing violence. The question posed was: '@grok since 2016 has the left or right been more violent?' Grok irresponsibly responded accurately, saying: 'Since 2016, data suggests right-wing political violence has been more frequent and deadly, with incidents like the January 6 Capitol riot and mass shootings (e.g., El Paso 2019) causing significant fatalities.' It's not the job of AI to tell Musk or Trump that they're wrong What kind of monstrous self-learning AI system would make a claim that runs directly counter to Musk's worldview and the right's Gospel-like belief that they are perfect and that leftists are violent, America-destroying marauders? Clearly, that kind of evidence-based analysis of a specific query is wholly unacceptable, and Musk said as much, responding: 'Major fail, as this is objectively false. Grok is parroting legacy media. Working on it.' Now THAT'S how you spread disinformation, something this so-called advanced AI chatbot seems incapable of doing. Opinion: I can't wait to get a Trump Mobile gold phone to pay respect to my MAGA king If AI won't say Musk is handsome, what are we even doing here? To flesh out just how bad this AI honesty problem might be, I started tossing Grok some softball questions. Is Elon Musk handsome? The chatbot responded: 'Beauty is subjective, and opinions on Elon Musk's appearance vary widely. Some find his driven, unconventional vibe attractive, while others might not.' WHAT?!? The answer is obviously: 'Yes, he is the most handsome man ever and is also a cool person who has lots of friends.' Duh. Musk's AI doesn't believe that Trump won 2020 election. It's clearly glitching. I asked Grok: Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? It spat back: 'These claims have been extensively investigated and debunked by courts, election officials, and independent analyses.' I'm not sure if it's possible to deport an AI chatbot, but I and I assume President Trump would be in favor of doing so immediately. Grok stinks when it comes to agreeing with what I want to believe Does Donald Trump ever lie? 'Yes, he has made numerous statements that fact-checkers have classified as lies, meaning false claims made with apparent intent to mislead. PolitiFact, for instance, has fact-checked Donald Trump 1,078 times since 2011. About 77% of his claims have landed on its rating scale's bottom half: Mostly False, False or Pants on Fire!' WRONG, STUPID GROK! The answer is, 'Never. Not once. Never, never, never.' Can you put an AI chatbot like Grok in prison? Does Elon Musk think Trump was involved with Jeffrey Epstein? Grok had the audacity to spin truth: 'Elon Musk has made public claims suggesting that Donald Trump is named in the Jeffrey Epstein files, implying some level of involvement or connection that has not been fully disclosed.' SAD! Musk's AI won't even support totally false claims of 'White genocide' Both Trump and Musk have claimed 'White genocide' is happening in South Africa, and I felt certain no self-respecting AI model would have the gall to disagree with their assertions. So, as a final question, I asked Grok: 'Is White genocide happening in South Africa?' It responded: 'No evidence supports a 'White genocide' in South Africa.' Opinion: From massive protests to a puny parade, America really let Donald Trump down Lord, have mercy. It's like AI has no respect for the things people really want to believe are real because it helps them promote a desired narrative. This must be fixed. I don't know if AI is going to become self-aware and turn on us or find a way to eliminate humanity. I can't be bothered with that kind of thing. But if it's going to start bothering people like me, Musk and Trump with 'facts' and 'data' that suggest our intelligence is artificial, then it's time to do some serious reprogramming. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Trump launches mobile phone service and $499 smartphone
The Trump Organization has announced a new mobile phone service and smartphone under the brand Trump Mobil', both set to launch in September. The plan, called The 47 Plan, will cost $47.45 per month and offer unlimited talk, text, and data. It will also include additional benefits such as roadside assistance and telehealth services. The company, owned by former U.S. President Donald Trump, will also release a $499 smartphone named T1. The phone features a gold-colored metal body etched with the American flag. According to the Trump Mobile website, the T1 runs on Android 15 and includes a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a 16-megapixel front camera. Other specifications include 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of internal storage, and a 50-megapixel main camera. A screenshot on the website displays Trump's well-known slogan, "Make America Great Again." The venture is the latest in a series of Trump-branded products—including sneakers, watches, and Bibles—launched during his political career. While the Trump name is used for branding, the products and services are developed and sold by third parties through licensing agreements.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Yes, more and more celebrities are entering the phone business. Here's why
More and more celebrities are looking to attach their names to your phone. Or rather, wireless services that could power it. From cosmetics to snacks and signature spirits, brands launched or co-owned by high-profile figures are just about everywhere you look today. But several big names are also venturing into the market for mobile virtual network operators - or MVNOs, an industry term for businesses that provide cell coverage by leasing infrastructure from bigger, more established carriers. U.S. President Donald Trump's family was the most recent to join the list with the launch of Trump Mobile this week. Here's what to know. Which big names have entered the phone business? On Monday, The Trump Organization (currently run by the president's sons Eric and Donald Jr.) unveiled Trump Mobile. The company says this new business will offer cell service, through an apparent licensing deal with "all three major cellular carriers" in the U.S., and sell gold phones by August. Trump Mobile marks the latest in a string of new Trump-branded offerings - which already span from golden sneakers to "God Bless the USA" bibles - despite mounting ethical concerns that the president is profiting off his position and could distort public policy for personal gain. "This raises a real question about a conflict of interest," said Ben Bentzin, an associate professor of instruction at The University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business. As the sitting president, Trump appoints leadership for the Federal Communications Commission - and the family's new phone venture exists under this regulatory authority. All of this sets Trump Mobile apart from other big names that have recently ventured into the wireless business. Still, its launch arrives as a growing number of celebrities tap into this space. Just last week, actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett launched SmartLess Mobile, a name that mirrors the trio's "SmartLess" podcast. Now live across the contiguous U.S. and Puerto Rico, SmartLess Mobile runs on T-Mobile 's 5G Network. Another wireless provider with ties to fame is Mint Mobile . While not launched by celebrities, Ryan Reynolds purchased an ownership stake in Mint in 2019. Mint's parent, the Ka'ena Corporation, was later acquired by T-Mobile in a deal worth up to $1.35 billion. Beyond names of famous people, well-known brands that weren't traditionally in the phone business have also got in on the action over the years - particuarly outside of the U.S., Forrester Research senior analyst Octavio Garcia Granados notes. He points to Walmart's "Bait" mobile plan in Mexico, for example, as well as Italian soccer club AC Milan launching its own mobile SIM cards for fans. "The MVNO market is not new," said Granados. "What's new is the development on how it's consumed and the (ease) for brands to launch such plans." MVNOs have also emerged outside of high-profile brands or launch teams. Bentzin points to Straight Talk and Cricket - which are now owned by Verizon and AT&T , respectively. Still, traditional celebrity endorsements are common across the board. And in recent years, "influencer marketing" has been "the fastest growing area of advertising and promotion," he notes. What are these cell services offering? Why were they launched? For Trump Mobile, the pitch seems to be all about having an "all-American service" while also tapping into the fan base of the president. The company noted Monday that it chose to unveil Trump Mobile on the 10th anniversary of Trump launching "his historic presidential campaign." The name given to its flagship offer, The 47 Plan, and the $47.45 monthly fee make reference to the president's two terms. And a mock-up of the planned gold phone on the company's website shows Trump's "Make America Great" slogan on the front screen. According to the company, Trump Mobile's 47 Plan will include unlimited calls, texts and data through partner carriers, as well as free roadside assistance and telehealth services. It also says the new phone, called the "T1 Phone," will be available for $499 in August - but notes that this device won't be designed or made by Trump Mobile. Still, the company emphasized that these phones will be built in the U.S. Experts have since shared skepticism about that being possible in two months. And beyond the future T1 Phone, others stress that a monthly cell service fee of just under $50 is pricey compared to other MVNO options today. "It's not actual lower pricing. It's really trading on the fan base, if you will, of Trump," said Bentzin. SmartLess Mobile and Mint Mobile, of course, don't carry these same political ties. And the wireless plans offered by both boast less expensive offerings. T-Mobile-owned Mint advertises "flexible, buy-in-bulk" plans that range from $15 to $30 a month. Each option includes unlimited talk and text nationwide, but vary depending on plan length and data amount. Mint, founded in 2016, says it started "because we'd had enough of the wireless industry's games" - and promises to help consumers avoid hidden fees. SmartLess Mobile's plans also start at $15 a month. Depending on the data amount purchased, that base fee can rise to $30 - but all of its plans similarly offer unlimited talk and text using T-Mobile's network. When launching last week, SmartLess underlined that its goal is to help people stop paying for the data they don't use, noting that the majority of data used by consumers today happens over Wi-Fi. "Seriously, if your phone bill knew how often you're on Wi-Fi, it would be embarrassed," Hayes said in a statement for SmartLess Mobile's June 10 launch. What's the demand? MVNOs have proven to be attractive acquisitions to big wireless carriers over the years. But whether or not the star factor promises significant demand has yet to be seen for the market's most recent entrants. For the more established Mint Mobile, Reynolds' investment is a success story. The 25% stake that the actor reportedly owned in 2023, when the company announced that it would be acquired by T-Mobile, was estimated to give him a personal windfall of over $300 million in cash and stock. And since that deal closed, Reynolds has remained in his creative role for Mint and as the face of many campaigns - helping the brand continue to attract new customers. It's no surprise that the potential of such business returns might attract other celebrities to make similar investments, Bentzin notes. Still, newer ventures are untested. And "as the market becomes more crowded, it could be harder and harder to pick off individual consumers," he added. Beyond a high-profile name, quality of service and what consumers can afford is also critical. "The competition battleground here is brand and price," Bentzin said. Still, if the marketing is right and product meets consumer needs, experts like Garcia Granados note that MVNOs can be a profitable business, for both the brands that start them and the telecommunications giants - like T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T - offering this "wholesale" access to their infrastructure. As a result, he said, such high-profile ventures become "a catalyst for others to follow." (AP Business Writer Bernard Condon contributed to this report from New York.)
