There’s never a dull moment in the world of tech, and this week is no exception. From a gold-plated smartphone backed by the Trump Organization to surprising chipset news from Nothing, plus some potential shakeups at OnePlus, the latest developments have left many scratching their heads and buzzing with curiosity. I’m Scott Brown, here to break down everything you need to know in this quick tech roundup.
Table of Contents
- 🇺🇸 The Trump Organization’s T1 Mobile and the Outrageous Trump Phone
- ⚙️ Nothing Phone 3’s Unexpected Processor Reveal
- 📸 OnePlus 15 and Potential Camera Shakeup
- FAQs 🤔
🇺🇸 The Trump Organization’s T1 Mobile and the Outrageous Trump Phone
One of the most bizarre tech stories this week is the launch of T1 Mobile, a new cellular service announced by President Donald Trump’s sons. The service offers unlimited talk, text, and data across all three major US networks, plus some unusual perks like a vaguely defined telehealth service. The monthly cost? $47.45 — a nod to Trump being both the 45th and 47th president. Clever branding, if nothing else.
The Trump Organization claims T1 Mobile will work with nearly any phone, and you can check your device compatibility using your IMEI number. But what’s really caught everyone’s attention is the T1 Phone launched alongside the service.
This Android-powered device is everything you’d expect from a Trump-endorsed product: gaudy gold plating, a small American flag, and a large “T” in the signature Trump font on the back. Specs-wise, it’s a budget phone with a 6.8-inch AMOLED display, 256GB internal storage, 12GB RAM, a 50-megapixel primary camera with macro and depth sensors, and an under-display fingerprint sensor. It even has a headphone jack and expandable storage — features rare enough to be noteworthy these days.
Despite these specs, the phone’s future is shrouded in uncertainty. Eric Trump has offered conflicting statements about whether the phone will be designed and built in the USA. Judging by the phone’s design and specs, it closely resembles existing Chinese-made phones — making a US-made claim dubious at best.
Retailing for $499, the price seems steep for what the phone offers. If it were genuinely manufactured in the US, it would likely cost significantly more. For perspective, the Liberty phone from Purism, which is mostly made in the USA, costs nearly $2,000 and has far inferior specs.
Given the Trump Organization’s history of launching products that never fully materialize, there’s a strong chance the T1 Phone might never actually hit the market. The $100 deposit required to pre-order could just end up lining the Trump family’s pockets.
That said, I couldn’t resist. I’ve pre-ordered the Trump phone myself to see what it’s really about. When (or if) it arrives, I’ll share everything I find out about this curious device. Stay tuned!
⚙️ Nothing Phone 3’s Unexpected Processor Reveal
Moving on, we finally know the processor powering the Nothing Phone 3, which is shaping up to be Nothing’s first true flagship phone since 2023. Contrary to popular expectation that it would feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite, the phone instead sports the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 4 chipset.
Let’s pause for a moment here: Qualcomm’s naming conventions are absolutely baffling. How does anyone say “Snapdragon 8+ Gen 4” and think it’s a catchy product name? Kudos to the marketing team, I guess.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 4 is a very capable processor, handling productivity and gaming tasks with ease. However, it’s not quite at the same level as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite found in flagship phones like the Galaxy S25 series and OnePlus 13. This means the Nothing Phone 3, while still a flagship, won’t be the absolute top performer many expected.
We’ll get the full scoop on the Nothing Phone 3 when it launches on July 1st in London. Until then, brace yourself for a steady stream of teases from Nothing, which might just wear you out before the phone even hits the shelves.
📸 OnePlus 15 and Potential Camera Shakeup
Lastly, let’s talk about OnePlus and the next flagship we’re anticipating: the OnePlus 15. If you’re wondering why it’s the 15 and not the 14, it’s due to an interesting cultural superstition called tetraphobia — the fear of the number 4, especially common in East Asian cultures where the word for four sounds like the word for death.
Since OnePlus is a Chinese company, it has historically avoided using the number 4 in its product names. That’s why there was no OnePlus 4; the brand jumped from OnePlus 3 directly to OnePlus 5. So, the upcoming phone is expected to be called OnePlus 15, skipping 14 altogether.
More intriguingly, rumors surfaced this week suggesting OnePlus might be ending its partnership with Hasselblad, the legendary camera company that has been tuning OnePlus cameras since 2021. Hasselblad’s involvement brought improved color tuning and unique features like the XPan mode — a kind of enhanced panoramic shot.
While most users might not mind the absence of the Hasselblad logo, it’s worth noting that OnePlus cameras saw a significant quality jump after Hasselblad came on board. This change could mean a different look and feel to photos taken with the OnePlus 15, and while that doesn’t necessarily mean worse cameras, it’s definitely a shift worth watching.
Change can be unsettling, but let’s wait and see how OnePlus’s camera systems evolve in this new chapter.
FAQs 🤔
What is the T1 Mobile service?
T1 Mobile is a new cellular service launched by President Trump’s sons offering unlimited talk, text, and data across major US networks, with some additional perks like an unexplained telehealth service. It costs $47.45 per month.
What are the specs of the Trump T1 Phone?
The T1 Phone features a 6.8-inch AMOLED display, 256GB storage, 12GB RAM, a 50MP primary camera with macro and depth sensors, an under-display fingerprint sensor, a headphone jack, and expandable storage.
Is the Trump T1 Phone made in the USA?
It’s unclear. While Eric Trump claimed the phone would be designed and built in America, the first batch reportedly will not be. The phone’s design and specs suggest it is manufactured in China.
What processor does the Nothing Phone 3 use?
The Nothing Phone 3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 4 chipset, which is powerful but not the absolute top-tier processor found in some competing flagship phones.
Why is the next OnePlus phone called the OnePlus 15 instead of 14?
OnePlus skips the number 4 due to tetraphobia, a superstition common in East Asian cultures where the number 4 is associated with death. This is why there was no OnePlus 4, and the next flagship is expected to be the OnePlus 15.
Is OnePlus ending its partnership with Hasselblad?
Rumors suggest OnePlus might be moving away from Hasselblad for camera tuning on the upcoming OnePlus 15, which could lead to changes in camera performance and image style.
For those curious to dive deeper, I’ve included links to the original sources below where you can explore these stories further.
