A few months ago a rumor started that a new phone, the Trump T1, might be based on an older model from HTC. The idea came after a reader noticed many similarities between the T1 and the HTC U24 Pro, a device that launched in 2024 for about $600. Both phones share a sharp, angled body and a curved screen that looks almost identical. Even the placement of antennas and power buttons matches closely.

The U24 Pro is a strange phone in its own right. It was marketed as HTC’s comeback after the company sold most of its smartphone business to Google in 2017. Its design features a long speaker grill, a tiny LED, and a second short bar for the proximity sensor—an unusual arrangement that also appears on the T1. The two phones even have a headphone jack and a microSD slot in the same positions, which is rare for modern phones.

When you look at the cameras, the differences are more obvious. The U24 Pro has two lenses close together and a third lower down, while the T1 groups all its cameras in one mount with uneven spacing. Yet both claim 50‑megapixel main and selfie sensors, plus an ultra‑wide option. The T1’s spec sheet says it will run on a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, just like the U24 Pro.

The battery and charging specs also line up. The U24 Pro comes with a 4, 600‑mAh battery and supports 60W wired charging plus wireless power. The T1 is expected to have a larger 5, 000‑mAh battery and similar charging speeds. The U24 Pro’s IP67 rating for dust and water resistance is another point of comparison.

Reviews of the U24 Pro were mixed. Some reviewers gave it two and a half stars, calling it hard to recommend over rivals. Others noted that the phone still held up in durability tests. It does not use some of HTC’s older signature features, like sapphire glass or front‑camera optical stabilization.

HTC has said it does not design phones for other companies. However, the company likely works with an original design manufacturer (ODM) that builds phones for multiple brands. It is plausible that the same ODM helped produce both the U24 Pro and the Trump T1, either by reusing old HTC designs or by sharing components.

In short, while HTC probably did not build the Trump phone itself, its design and specifications seem to echo those of a recent HTC model. Whether the T1 will stand out in a crowded market remains to be seen.

New Phone, Old Design? A Look at the Trump T1

Actions