Latest news with #TrumpOrganization
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Mobile: Can the smartphone actually be made in the US?
The Trump Organization is entering the smartphone market with "Trump Mobile": a new US-made phone and plan. However, there is uncertainty about whether the phone can actually be manufactured in the US. Yahoo Finance Technology Editor Dan Howley joins Asking for a Trend with Josh Lipton to break down the details. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. President Trump's family's launching a smartphone alongside its own mobile service dubbed Trump Mobile. However, will it follow in Trump's made in America agenda? Yahoo Finance's tech editor Dan Howley joins us now with more. Dan. Yeah, Josh, this is, uh, something that, uh, the Trump family went out and announced yesterday, basically showing off, uh, the idea of this Trump mobile phone plan. Uh, it's basically a virtual mobile network. It's going to ride on what they say is the three major carriers in the US. It includes Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. I've reached out to them. I haven't heard back, uh, yet from any of the carriers on that. Uh, they also announced a new phone that they're calling the T1 phone. This phone, uh, is going to be available for 499, a down payment of $100. They say it'll be available, uh, in September. The big to-do though about this is that it's supposedly made in America. And that would be a big deal because we just don't have very many phone companies that manufacture in America. Uh, in fact, one that I spoke to, uh, is, uh, from Purism. It's the Liberty phone. Uh, it's a specialized phone that's all about security and keeping, uh, separate from big tech, uh, organizations. But that phone sells for $199, uh, sorry, $1,999. Uh, this phone, $4.99, sounds like a great deal. However, a number of experts that I've spoken to have kind of thrown cold water on the idea that it will actually be made in America. In fact, some have pointed out that the phone is eerily similar, uh, to another phone company, uh, their device, the Wingtech Rebel 7, uh, has similar cameras. That phone is a Chinese-made phone. Uh, T-Mobile also sells a version of that called the Rebel 7 under its Metro brand. Uh, that device has a Qualcomm processor. That processor is made in China, so it would take away from that whole made in America thing. Then Eric Trump had actually said during an interview with a conservative YouTube personality, Benny Johnson, that he, uh, eventually all the phones can be built in the United States of America. So, there's kind of mixed signals going on right here. Uh, the one thing that, uh, when I spoke to, uh, the head of Purism, uh, who develops that Liberty phone, said is, it took them 10 years to get to that point, to be able to actually get the phones in the US. And one of the issues was, you know, getting a processor that fits there. They say that all the electronics are built within the US. Uh, the frame for the phone, though, is built in China. Uh, so they make sure to point out that the electronics are all US made and developed. So, you know, something like that, it's taken them years to get to that point. And how much, Dan, did you say he's selling that phone for? $1,999. Their most recent phone. Uh, and so, you know, I think it's one of those things where we're just going to have to wait and see if this phone actually does come out, if it actually is built in the US. Um, right now, you know, you can see what different people are saying online. There's a lot of, uh, you know, show me, you know, rather than, uh, or will this just be vaporware where it's announced and it just never premieres, but they are taking cash for it now as far as those $100 pre-orders. So, we're just going to have to see. But all this again is part of the Trump administration's effort, uh, you know, to push that whole made in America idea. They've said that they're going to place tariffs on Apple or Samsung if they don't start building their phones, uh, in the US. Wow. That's not going to happen. Uh, you know, they'll, I mean, they'll be out of office before they even get facilities up and running. So, it's not something that I think anyone can confidently say would actually happen with Apple and Samsung. I look forward to the Dan Howley review of that phone though. That's what I'm waiting for. Thank you, Dan. Yes, sir.
CNET
6 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
Klarna Now Has a Mobile Phone Service. It's Yet Another New Wireless Option for You
Klarna, the Swedish buy-now-pay-later financial services company, is introducing a mobile phone plan the company says it will promote to its 25 million US customers. Klarna is partnering with Gigs, a San Francisco company that provides mobile virtual network operator services, allowing companies to create their own wireless brands. MVNOs seem suddenly popular: In the last week, the Trump Organization launched Trump Mobile, with its own gold-tinted phone on the way. And the popular SmartLess podcast, featuring actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, also set up shop as a wireless provider. Klarna's plan includes uncapped 5G plus service and international roaming for under $50 a month. Klarna will offer its wireless service using AT&T's infrastructure. The company has opened a waitlist for the service, which it says will launch in a few weeks, with similar offerings in the UK and Germany on the way as well. Klarna says it will directly promote its wireless plan through its mobile app. Customers will be able to keep their mobile number and sign up for the service and manage their account within the Klarna app. Klarna promises there won't be fees for service activation or cancellation. It also recently launched a debit card and partnered with DoorDash to allow installment payments on food orders. What's next for MVNOs? Don't be surprised if other new mobile businesses pop up this year. The overall industry for virtual network operators is expected to grow from about $87 billion to more than $148 billion in the next decade. "It's relatively easy to launch an MVNO -- compared to other ventures a brand or celebrity might contemplate," says Iliya Rybchin, a mobile industry veteran who now works as a consultant for BDO USA, an accounting firm. "The economics have gotten much better in the last few years and there are many popular brands, celebrities, and influencers who may have the brand power to do it." Those brands and celebrities who have large follower counts, he says, can use their popularity to help reduce one of the biggest costs for wireless companies: customer acquisition. The possibility for new wireless ventures, based on conversations he's heard, could include sports teams, retailers, video games and auto companies, Some, he says, could launch non-phone services or products based on specific needs such as medical wearables or cloud storage. Those contemplating launching an MVNO, he says, should ask themselves, "Is my brand strong enough and my fan base loyal enough to bring in a few hundred thousand subscribers?" That seems to be the case, at least for the new service tied to the president: "In the case of Trump Mobile, thousands of people walking around holding a gold phone can be as powerful a brand asset as a red MAGA hat. Of course, even the launch alone generates millions of dollars of media value," Rybchin said.
Android Authority
6 hours ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Klarna is making an unexpected move into the mobile carrier space
Chase Bernath / Android Authority TL;DR Klarna is joining the mobile carrier market. The company's mobile service will launch in the US in the coming weeks with one $40 plan. The service will also be available in the UK, Germany, and other markets at a later date. Premium and international plans will roll out later this year. One could say there have been some unexpected additions to the MVNO space this week. On Monday, the Trump Organization announced the launch of T1 Mobile and the T1 Phone. Now fintech giant Klarna is also throwing its hat into the ring. This week, Klarna announced its intentions of expanding into the mobile market. The launch of the company's new mobile service will happen in the coming weeks and will be spearheaded by a single $40 unlimited plan. That $40 plan will include: Unlimited 5G data, talk, and text Nationwide AT&T coverage No fees for activation or cancellation You'll also get to keep your number or get a new one with instant eSIM activation. Klarna adds that you'll be able to activate your phone plan within its app, which should prove convenient for current users. According to the buy now, pay later provider, 'half of Americans believe switching phone plans is too difficult.' The company says it's aiming to make switching to its plan 'effortless' with 'no hidden fees, flexible contracts, and a smooth set-up experience.' US consumers will have the first go at the service when it launches. Klarna is directing those who are interested to join the waitlist. However, the service will expand to the UK, Germany, and other markets soon after. That will be followed up by the rollout of premium and international plans later this year. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Organization Tries To Determine True Size Of Properties After Years Of Lying
Donald Trump lies about things big and small, often leaving those around him unsure of the truth. (Photo by) Donald Trump spent so many years lying about the square footage of his properties that his own company did not even seem sure of their true size. Under oversight from a court-appointed monitor, the Trump Organization recently tried to sort it all out. 'The Trump Organization,' the monitor explained in a letter to a New York judge last month, 'conducted a review and assessment of the physical square footage for each of its properties for inclusion in certain financial disclosures. The review sought to ensure consistency in the square footage reporting across the entire Trump Organization and to maintain a clear source of information for use in future disclosures.' It's clear how things got mixed up. Donald Trump, for years, claimed that his properties were big, bigger, the biggest. In rare moments, he admitted he was full of it. A lawyer who used to work for Trump, Thomas Wells, once noticed that the number of rooms in the developer's penthouse was reported differently in various publications—sometimes it had eight, other times 16, or even 30. Wells finally asked Trump how many rooms his home truly contained. The developer's answer: 'However many they will print.' 'Truthful hyperbole,' Trump calls this form of salesmanship, even though there is nothing truthful about it. 'I play to people's fantasies,' he explained in his 1987 bestseller, Trump: The Art of the Deal, itself largely a work of fiction, according to the ghostwriter who penned it. 'People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That's why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular.' Eventually, hyperbole did hurt Trump. He lied about the square footage of his penthouse for years, telling Forbes and—more importantly—his lenders that it spanned at least 30,000 square feet. In reality, the penthouse measures 10,996 square feet, according to property records. The New York attorney general's office used that lie, and many others, to build a case that Trump defrauded banks into believing he was richer than he was to score more favorable lending terms. Trump blamed the penthouse issue—one of the most obvious lies in his yearslong effort to deceive the world about how rich he is—on his underlings. One of them, Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg tried to suggest he had little to do with the calculation. In the middle of his testimony, Forbes published a story explaining how Weisselberg had helped Trump push the lie for years. As word of the story spread, the CFO abruptly ended his testimony, then later admitted to perjury and received a five-month sentence in jail. Trump, for his part, lost the suit and was ordered to pay about a half a billion dollars. As the president appeals, interest accrues—and the monitor keeps looking over his shoulder. There's no question who is really at fault for all the misdirection: Donald Trump, a man who has been obsessed with size—whether measured in square footage, crowd attendance or net worth—for years. In 2015, Trump took time away from his whirlwind campaign to lobby three journalists for a higher spot on Forbes' annual ranking of America's richest people. Trying to boost the value of the commercial space he owns in Trump Tower, he motioned across Fifth Avenue to the Crown Building, which had recently sold for $1.8 billion. 'This is bigger,' Trump said, even though the commercial space is actually 25% smaller—roughly. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact size of the space because the Trump Organization has submitted such varying figures to tax authorities and lenders over the years, apparently lying about the commercial space just as Trump lied about the penthouse. The net-worth discussion eventually moved to 40 Wall Street, the president's tower in Lower Manhattan. Documents filed with local tax authorities said the building contained 1,152,409 square feet one year and 1,162,326 the next. Trump's lenders reached a similar conclusion, reporting that the building included 1,165,207 square feet in a 2015 prospectus. Rounding up from those figures, a Forbes editor noted to Trump in the 2015 discussion, 'You've got 1.2 million square feet of office.' 'It's actually 1.3,' Trump interjected. 'By the way, it's 1.3, to be honest with you.' It's hard to stop someone from lying who has done it for decades. Despite the recent review, which the monitor highlighted in her letter, the Trump Organization's website still lists exaggerated figures for the number of stories in Trump Tower and several other buildings. Among them: 40 Wall Street, the Lower Manhattan skyscraper that has 63 stories and 1.2 million square feet, according to lending and tax records. The Trump Organization's website still says the property contains 72 stories and—you guessed it—1.3 million square feet.
New Indian Express
a day 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.
