iFixit teardown confirms Trump phone is an HTC U24 Pro duplicate

After getting its hands on a Trump phone and tearing it apart, iFixit has confirmed what was first reported back in February: the T1 Phone is an almost exact duplicate of the HTC U24 Pro. iFixit partnered with NBC to get hold of the network's media sample of the Trump phone, along with a U24 Pro. They ran the phones through a CT scanner, tore them down to parts, and even put them back together into a functional Frankenstein phone with the U24 Pro's board inside the T1 Phone's chassis, confirming along the way that the two phones are functionally identical.

There are minor differences: The flash has been moved slightly, the speaker grille was rearranged. The teardown results show that the Trump phone's hardware is not unique and is instead a rebranded HTC device. The Trump phone, also known as the T1 Phone, bears a striking resemblance to the HTC U24 Pro, which was released earlier this year.

The similarities between the two devices raise questions about the Trump phone's design and manufacturing process. Why this matters: The revelation that the Trump phone is a duplicate of an existing HTC device has significant implications for the tech industry. It highlights the complexity of global supply chains and the ease with which companies can rebrand and resell existing products.

For developers and businesses, this raises questions about intellectual property and the potential for copycat products. For consumers, it underscores the importance of researching and verifying product authenticity before making a purchase. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it will be crucial to monitor the proliferation of duplicate products and ensure that companies prioritize innovation and originality over cost-cutting measures.

The iFixit teardown also serves as a reminder of the value of transparency and accountability in the tech industry, and the need for companies to be forthcoming about their products' origins and composition.