A California-based company has come out with a smartphone that is nearly entirely manufactured within the US, even though it uses lower quality parts and its technology can’t compete with the iPhone — and it costs $2,000.
The privacy-focused Liberty Phone by the tech startup Purism is assembled, tested and packaged within the US, with its printed circuit board (PCB) also manufactured domestically.
Software development, including the PureOS operating system, is handled entirely within the US. The mainboard, which is the central circuit board that permits communication between all the most important components, and the important thing circuit board modules are made domestically.
Nonetheless, key components just like the chassis, camera, modem and WiFi/BT modules are sourced from overseas suppliers, primarily in China and India. The screen and battery are imported from China while the camera is made in South Korea.
“I’ve been working on this for 10 years and we’ve done all the things we possibly can to construct from US manufacturing,” Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of Purism, told the Wall Street Journal.
The processor is made by a Dutch firm while the chip itself could possibly be manufactured either in South Korea or elsewhere in Asia or Europe.
“There are just a few parts that don’t yet have a supply chain. We’re gonna keep incrementing there until we are able to get to that time.”
Weaver, whose assembly line consists of 4 people screwing phones together by hand, told the Journal that Purism is capable of manufacturing Liberty Phones at a rate of about 10,000 per 30 days.
Up to now, he said his company, which was founded in 2014, has sold fewer than 100,000. Weaver told NBC News that it took Purism six years from initially conceiving the phone as a vision to really producing it and selling it.
By comparison, Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn is alleged to be capable of manufacturing as much as 500,000 iPhones per day during peak periods — which translates into 10,000 iPhones per every 12 minutes at maximum capability.
Purism emphasizes its US-based manufacturing for security-critical elements, while acknowledging the worldwide nature of its supply chain.
While Purism is unable to compete with the tech behemoths on price and features, its most important sales pitch is for security-conscious consumers who don’t want their data collected by the likes of Apple and Google.
The Liberty Phone runs PureOS, an open-source Linux-based operating system. The device features hardware kill switches that physically disconnect the microphone, camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and baseband modem — capabilities virtually unheard of in mainstream smartphones.
But PureOS allows the user to have interaction in rudimentary functions only, similar to calling, texting, web browsing and using basic apps similar to a calculator, in response to the Journal.
Half of those that bought the Liberty are US government staff who’re interested in the phone’s more stringent security and privacy features, the Journal reported.
“On the buyer side, it’s security geeks, parents who need a phone for his or her kid, elderly people or individuals who need to avoid big tech,” says Weaver. “Someone who needs a wicked-strong camera shouldn’t be our audience.”
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Apple and other major firms to shift manufacturing to the US, threatening a 25% tariff on iPhones made overseas.
He has criticized Apple CEO Tim Cook for expanding production in India and insists that iPhones sold within the US needs to be built domestically.
While Apple has invested in US infrastructure and AI development, experts say relocating full iPhone production to America can be prohibitively expensive and logistically complex.
Trump’s family-owned Trump Organization recently unveiled its own Android-powered smartphone called the T1.
Although the phone is marketed as “made within the USA,” analysts consider it’s likely produced by a Chinese manufacturer with minimal US involvement.
The business operates as a licensing deal, with Trump branding licensed to T1 Mobile LLC, targeting conservative consumers in search of American-themed alternatives.
Apple typically sells tens of hundreds of thousands of iPhones every month, with exact figures various by quarter and market conditions. Based on recent data, Apple shipped roughly 151.3 million iPhones in the primary nine months of 2024. This averages out to about 16.8 million iPhones per 30 days during that period.
Google currently produces about 43,000–45,000 Pixel smartphones per 30 days in India, while its global shipments average 766,000 units monthly based on data from the second quarter of last yr.
Compared, Samsung produces around 20 million smartphones per 30 days globally, with as much as 5 million Galaxy S25 units manufactured in peak launch months like January 2025.
Apple’s iPhone lineup ranges from $599 for the iPhone 16E to $1,399+ for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with popular models just like the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro priced at $799 and $999, respectively.
Google’s Pixel series starts at $499 for the Pixel 9a and climbs to $1,799 for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while the usual Pixel 9 and 9 Pro cost $799 and $999.
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 models begin around $799, rise to $999–$1,099 for the S25 Plus, and top out at $1,299–$1,419 for the S25 Ultra, depending on the retailer.
While most iPhones are manufactured in China, Google Pixels are produced in Vietnam and China. Samsung Galaxy devices are primarily made in South Korea, Vietnam and India.
The Post has sought comment from Weaver and Purism.
A California-based company has come out with a smartphone that is nearly entirely manufactured within the US, even though it uses lower quality parts and its technology can’t compete with the iPhone — and it costs $2,000.
The privacy-focused Liberty Phone by the tech startup Purism is assembled, tested and packaged within the US, with its printed circuit board (PCB) also manufactured domestically.
Software development, including the PureOS operating system, is handled entirely within the US. The mainboard, which is the central circuit board that permits communication between all the most important components, and the important thing circuit board modules are made domestically.
Nonetheless, key components just like the chassis, camera, modem and WiFi/BT modules are sourced from overseas suppliers, primarily in China and India. The screen and battery are imported from China while the camera is made in South Korea.
“I’ve been working on this for 10 years and we’ve done all the things we possibly can to construct from US manufacturing,” Todd Weaver, founder and CEO of Purism, told the Wall Street Journal.
The processor is made by a Dutch firm while the chip itself could possibly be manufactured either in South Korea or elsewhere in Asia or Europe.
“There are just a few parts that don’t yet have a supply chain. We’re gonna keep incrementing there until we are able to get to that time.”
Weaver, whose assembly line consists of 4 people screwing phones together by hand, told the Journal that Purism is capable of manufacturing Liberty Phones at a rate of about 10,000 per 30 days.
Up to now, he said his company, which was founded in 2014, has sold fewer than 100,000. Weaver told NBC News that it took Purism six years from initially conceiving the phone as a vision to really producing it and selling it.
By comparison, Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn is alleged to be capable of manufacturing as much as 500,000 iPhones per day during peak periods — which translates into 10,000 iPhones per every 12 minutes at maximum capability.
Purism emphasizes its US-based manufacturing for security-critical elements, while acknowledging the worldwide nature of its supply chain.
While Purism is unable to compete with the tech behemoths on price and features, its most important sales pitch is for security-conscious consumers who don’t want their data collected by the likes of Apple and Google.
The Liberty Phone runs PureOS, an open-source Linux-based operating system. The device features hardware kill switches that physically disconnect the microphone, camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and baseband modem — capabilities virtually unheard of in mainstream smartphones.
But PureOS allows the user to have interaction in rudimentary functions only, similar to calling, texting, web browsing and using basic apps similar to a calculator, in response to the Journal.
Half of those that bought the Liberty are US government staff who’re interested in the phone’s more stringent security and privacy features, the Journal reported.
“On the buyer side, it’s security geeks, parents who need a phone for his or her kid, elderly people or individuals who need to avoid big tech,” says Weaver. “Someone who needs a wicked-strong camera shouldn’t be our audience.”
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Apple and other major firms to shift manufacturing to the US, threatening a 25% tariff on iPhones made overseas.
He has criticized Apple CEO Tim Cook for expanding production in India and insists that iPhones sold within the US needs to be built domestically.
While Apple has invested in US infrastructure and AI development, experts say relocating full iPhone production to America can be prohibitively expensive and logistically complex.
Trump’s family-owned Trump Organization recently unveiled its own Android-powered smartphone called the T1.
Although the phone is marketed as “made within the USA,” analysts consider it’s likely produced by a Chinese manufacturer with minimal US involvement.
The business operates as a licensing deal, with Trump branding licensed to T1 Mobile LLC, targeting conservative consumers in search of American-themed alternatives.
Apple typically sells tens of hundreds of thousands of iPhones every month, with exact figures various by quarter and market conditions. Based on recent data, Apple shipped roughly 151.3 million iPhones in the primary nine months of 2024. This averages out to about 16.8 million iPhones per 30 days during that period.
Google currently produces about 43,000–45,000 Pixel smartphones per 30 days in India, while its global shipments average 766,000 units monthly based on data from the second quarter of last yr.
Compared, Samsung produces around 20 million smartphones per 30 days globally, with as much as 5 million Galaxy S25 units manufactured in peak launch months like January 2025.
Apple’s iPhone lineup ranges from $599 for the iPhone 16E to $1,399+ for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with popular models just like the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro priced at $799 and $999, respectively.
Google’s Pixel series starts at $499 for the Pixel 9a and climbs to $1,799 for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while the usual Pixel 9 and 9 Pro cost $799 and $999.
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 models begin around $799, rise to $999–$1,099 for the S25 Plus, and top out at $1,299–$1,419 for the S25 Ultra, depending on the retailer.
While most iPhones are manufactured in China, Google Pixels are produced in Vietnam and China. Samsung Galaxy devices are primarily made in South Korea, Vietnam and India.
The Post has sought comment from Weaver and Purism.
