Image reproduced from 公視新聞

According to a report by CNBC, a company under U.S. President Donald Trump recently launched a new smartphone called T1, claiming it is 'made in America' with a price of $499 (approximately 15,000 New Taiwan dollars), and it supports Google's Android system. However, multiple industry experts have pointed out that this device is likely designed and produced by a Chinese Original Design Manufacturer (ODM), which contradicts the Trump administration's push for 'American manufacturing.'

The T1 smartphone announced by the Trump Group features a gold finish, a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, and a 50-megapixel camera module, claiming to be 'made in America.' However, Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of International Data Corporation (IDC), stated in an interview with CNBC that the T1 smartphone is unlikely to be designed from scratch in America and is not feasible to be assembled or fully produced there, stating, 'This is nearly impossible.' Similarly, analysts at market research firm Counterpoint Research expressed similar views. Analyst Blake Przesmicki noted that 'while the T1 smartphone is claimed to be made in America, it is likely to be manufactured by a Chinese ODM.'

Another analyst, Jeff Fieldhack, pointed out that the U.S. currently lacks the local manufacturing capabilities necessary for large-scale smartphone production. Even if part of the T1 is assembled in America, the manufacturing of smartphones inherently relies heavily on a global supply chain. Most key components, from screens to chips to camera modules, still come from Asian manufacturers.

The AMOLED screen that the T1 uses is most likely supplied by Samsung or LG from South Korea, or China's BOE. Regarding the processor, industry speculations suggest that T1 might utilize a MediaTek chip from Taiwan, and for higher specifications, a Qualcomm processor might be used; these chips are predominantly manufactured in Taiwan. For the 50-megapixel camera supported by T1, the required image sensor chips are currently dominated by Japan's Sony Group, while other components may come from Chinese and other Asian manufacturers. Additionally, there’s a chance that the memory used could utilize U.S.-based Micron technology, but sources could also include competitors from South Korea, such as Samsung.

This situation highlights the contradiction in Trump's manufacturing policy stance during and after his presidency. He continually urged tech giants like Apple to relocate manufacturing back to the U.S. and frequently threatened to impose tariffs on imported electronic products in an effort to strengthen American manufacturing competitiveness. However, experts believe that establishing a complete smartphone production system in the U.S. would take years and significantly raise costs. IDC vice president Jeronimo stated that even if the T1 smartphone is partially assembled in America, it still relies on a large number of imported components. He argues that this so-called 'made in America' smartphone launch appears more as a political gesture rather than a true industrial transformation.