Someone is selling an old Chinese phone painted gold for $500

@techroast1

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SoundTikTok sound · Frank Saint - Slowed

Promoted product

Trump Phone T1

Why it worked

The video leverages a controversial political figure and a common consumer product (smartphones) to create a narrative of deception and consumer exploitation. The "unboxing" and "teardown" format, combined with clear comparisons and a relatable tone, makes the information easily digestible and shareable.

Summary

The video exposes the "Trump Phone T1" as a rebranded and overpriced HTC U24 Pro, manufactured in China but marketed as American-made. The creator demonstrates how the phone was assembled with minimal changes and sold at a significant markup, highlighting the deceptive marketing practices.

Structure

1Introduction of the "Trump Phone T1" and its inflated price.
2Demonstration of the phone being a rebranded HTC U24 Pro.
3Explanation of the deceptive marketing regarding its origin.
4Comparison of its features and price to actual mid-range and flagship phones.

Original caption

They painted a Chinese phone gold and sold it for 499$ 💀 #trumpphone #ifixit #technews #smartphone #creatorsearchinsights

More from @techroast1

Product placement

Trump Phone T1 (ACTS - marketed as a smartphone, people buy it, its components are discussed, its price and features are compared to other phones. Removing it would change the video entirely.) HTC U24 Pro (ACTS - its components are used to build the Trump Phone, its price and features are compared. Removing it would change the video entirely.) iFixit (ACTS - they tore apart the phone on camera. Removing it would change the video entirely.) Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (ACTS - it's the chip powering the phone, its performance is discussed. Removing it would change the video entirely.) Samsung Galaxy S24 FE (APPEARS - mentioned as an alternative phone. Removing it would not change the video.) Pixel 8 Pro (APPEARS - mentioned as an alternative phone. Removing it would not change the video.) Rust-Oleum (APPEARS - a can of gold spray paint is shown. Removing it would not change the video.) US Senator (APPEARS - mentioned as taking action. Removing it would not change the video.) FTC (APPEARS - mentioned as investigating. Removing it would not change the video.)

Call to action

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On-screen text

SOMEONE IS SELLING OLD CHINESE PHONE PAINTED GOLD FOR $500 ACTUALLY BUYING IT WHO WOULD FALL FOR THAT? IT'S THE TRUMP PHONE T1 MARKETED AS A PROUDLY AMERICAN SMARTPHONE DOLLAR DEPOSIT MONTHS AND WAITED 9 TO SHIP IFIXIT JUST TORE IT APART ON CAMERA IT'S AN HTC U24 PRO FROM 2024 TAIWANESE PHONE MANUFACTURED IN GUANGDONG CHINA HOLD ON. THEY SAID IT WAS MADE IN AMERICA AND IT'S LITERALLY MADE IN CHINA ORIGINALLY YES THEN THEY QUIETLY CHANGE THE MARKETING FROM MADE IN USA ASSEMBLED IN THE USA WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IS A SMALL TEAM IN FLORIDA SNAPS COMPONENTS INTO A CHASSIS BUILT IN A CHINESE FACTORY SO THEY JUST SNAP A FEW PARTS IN AND CALL IT AMERICAN THAT'S IT THAT'S IT. I LITERALLY PULLED THE MOTHERBOARD OUT OF A REAL HTC AND DROPPED IT INTO THE TRUMP PHONE CHASSIS IT POWERED ON AND WORKED PERFECTLY SAME BOARD SAME LAYOUT SAME CHIP SAME EVERYTHING THE ONLY DIFFERENCES OF GOLD PAINT AND A DIFFERENT SPEAKER GRILL PATTERN OKAY, BUT AT LEAST IT'S A GOOD $500 RIGHT? THE U24 PRO COSTS AROUND $300 AND IT ACTUALLY CHARGES FASTER THE ORIGINAL DOES 60 WATTS TRUMP MOBILE CUT THAT DOWN TO 30 WATTS TO FIT A SLIGHTLY BIGGER BATTERY SO YOU'RE PAYING $200 MORE FOR A SLOWER CHARGING PHONE WITH GOLD SPRAY THEY MADE IT WORSE AND CHARGED MORE IT RUNS ON SNAPDRAGON 7 Gen 3 THAT'S A MID RANGE CHIP FROM 2023 FOR $499 YOU COULD BUY A SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 FE WITH A FLAGSHIP PROCESSOR AND FIVE YEARS OF UPDATES OR A PIXEL 8 PRO BOTH AT THAT PRICE POINT AND NOBODY'S DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? A US SENATOR ALREADY ORDERED THE FTC TO INVESTIGATE THE MARKETING CLAIMS FOLLOW. NEXT ONE WE'RE EXPOSING THE MOST OVERPRICED TECH PRODUCT OF 2026

Transcript

Someone is selling a two-year-old Chinese phone painted gold for $500 and people are actually buying it. Wait, what? Who would fall for that? It's the Trump phone T1. Marked as a proudly American smartphone. People paid $100 deposit months ago and waited nine months for it to ship. I fix it just tore it apart on camera. It's an HTC U 24 Pro from 2024. A mid-range Taiwanese phone manufactured in GuangDong China. Hold on. They said it was made in America and it's literally made in China. Originally, yes. Then they quietly changed the marketing from made in USA to assembled in America. What that actually means is a small team in Florida snaps in about 10 components into a chassis that was already built in a Chinese factory. So they just snap a few parts in and call it American? That's it? That's it. I fixed it literally pulled the motherboard out of a real HTC and dropped it into the Trump phone chassis. It powered on and worked perfectly. Same board, same layout, same chip, same everything. The only differences are a code of gold paint and a different speaker grill pattern. Okay, but at least it's a good 0 for $500, right? The U24 Pro costs around $300, and it actually charges faster. The original does 60 watts. Trump Mobile cut that down to 30 watts to fit a slightly bigger battery. So you're paying $200 more for a slower charging phone with gold spray. They made it worse and charged more. It runs on Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. That's a mid-range chip from 2023. For $499 you could buy a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE with a flagship processor and five years of updates or a Pixel 8 Pro both at that price point. And nobody's doing anything about this? A US Senator already ordered the FTC to investigate the marketing claims. Follow. Next one, we're exposing the most overpriced tech product of 2026.