Trump Mobile's T1 Phone Price Rises $250 to $749
Trump Mobile has raised the T1 Phone's price to $749 from $499, a $250 increase made quietly on its website. The company has not announced the change or explained it.
The Verge first reported the increase, noting that Trump Mobile did not announce it. Earlier this year, two Trump Mobile executives described the $499 launch pricing as introductory, and the website later called it a promotional price. That wording has now been removed. Engadget also reported the price change, citing The Verge, and said Trump Mobile did not explain why the T1 now costs more.
Engadget reported that the increase comes as technology companies raise prices across their product lines because of skyrocketing RAM costs. The memory chip shortage, driven by massive AI buildouts and often called RAMageddon, has affected the electronics industry broadly. Apple recently increased the prices of older iPhones by $100, almost three months after it raised iPad prices by up to $200, MacBook prices by up to $500 and Mac Studio prices by up to $1,300. Engadget noted that the T1 increase was expected: Trump Mobile executives had previously said the $499 price was introductory and that buyers could eventually pay $999.
The Verge's review of the Trump phone in July was not impressed even at $499. At $749, the reviewer concluded there is no reason to recommend it. The Verge said buyers could get an iPhone 17E or Galaxy S26 FE and have $50 left for a gold case, or spend $50 more for an older flagship such as the iPhone 16 or Pixel 10, any of which would outperform the T1 Phone. The T1 Phone ships with 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, an unusually generous specification for its original price.
The Verge also noted that the phone has received one software update since launch, moving it from Android's February 2026 security patch to the May 2026 version. It still runs Android 15, which is now two years old. The T1 officially started shipping in May, almost a year after it was announced, but it remains unclear how many customers have received their phones. A BBC report last month found that at least some buyers still say their phones never arrived. Engadget added that an iFixit teardown found the phone is not made in the United States, contrary to Trump Mobile's initial claim, and is largely a reskinned HTC handset.