Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review – Trump's mobile venture, online data brokers used to target MN victims, and an OpenAI-Microsoft breakup
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Jun 20, 2025 In this discussion, Natasha Mascarenhas, a tech and business reporter at The Information, dives into several hot topics. She explores the Trump Organization's newly launched mobile service and smartphone, questioning its practical viability. Natasha also reveals how online data brokers were exploited in a tragic assassination case, emphasizing urgent privacy concerns. Lastly, she sheds light on the tense negotiations between OpenAI and Microsoft, highlighting their differing ambitions and potential fallout.
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Challenges of US-made Smartphones
- Trump's new $500 smartphone claims to be made in the USA, but analysts doubt this due to manufacturing complexities.
- Major tech production relies on global supply chains, making true US-made smartphones rare and expensive.
Smartphone Manufacturing Complexity
- Manufacturing smartphones in the U.S. is difficult due to global sourcing of components like chips.
- Regulatory and tariff complexities further complicate launching a mobile phone service.
Risks of Online Data Brokers
- Online data brokers aggregate personal data from public and private sources, selling access widely.
- This data can be used for harmful purposes, raising serious privacy and safety concerns.