Trump Org launches $47/month wireless service, teases odd $499 phone

The T1 Phone is due out later this fall—it's unclear exactly when, as the press release says August but the website says September—but it can be preordered now for $499. That's less than the cost of an iPhone 16, which costs $799 today but could cost at least 25 percent more if Apple pivots manufacturing into the US, analysts have suggested.

Like Apple or any device maker, the Trump Organization seemingly expects the Trump Mobile brand to fuel a wide range of products, like battery chargers and phone cases. Trump Mobile could even launch its own retail stores, Bloomberg reported.

But the new mobile empire could collapse at any moment. Trump Mobile's website repeatedly warns customers that its use of the Trump trademark can "be terminated or revoked," while noting that "Trump Mobile, its products and services are not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals."

And although the press release touted Trump Mobile's "reliability," the terms make clear that the Trump Organization is not liable for third-party services it relies on, warning that the wireless services can be withdrawn "permanently" without notice.

Additionally, all T1 Phone sales are non-refundable and subject to pricing changes after orders are placed, the terms say, with Trump Mobile seemingly being unprepared to honor prices if there are errors on its website.

It's unclear how big a market there may be for Trump's new phone. Apple has long dominated the smartphone market, and even at a competitive price, Trump's new phone will likely struggle to compete.

Trump fans are clearly the target audience, but the branding may be confusing. In product images, the T1 Phone is stamped with both an American flag and a "T" logo that's unlike Trump's sans serif campaign logo and somewhat similar to the T-Mobile logo.

Its gold color appears to be the phone's most distinctive feature, apart from the device's notably odd proportions. At a time when rivals' smartphones keep getting bigger to enhance the display, the T1 Phone seems to opt for a strangely elongated shape. That gives the phone a narrower screen that could impact the display of images, videos, games, or other mobile content, if the product images provide an accurate depiction of the final product.