US Customs and Border Protection has exempted certain electronics imported to the United States from President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, a move that could significantly impact tech giants like Apple. Smartphones, computer monitors, and various electronic parts are among the exempted products, which will be available for import or removal from warehouses starting April 5.
The exemption comes after the Trump administration imposed a minimum tariff rate of 145% on Chinese goods, including those for the fentanyl trade. However, this exclusion does not include tariffs for other Chinese goods, such as autos, steel, and pharmaceuticals.
Analysts at Wedbush Securities have hailed the decision as “the best news possible for tech investors.” The exemption is expected to have a major impact on Apple’s iPhone production, which is estimated to be around 90% based in China. Counterpoint Research estimates that Apple has up to six weeks of inventory in the United States, and prices could increase once that supply runs out.
The White House says President Trump will continue to urge tech companies to move production to the United States. The administration believes that securing trillions of dollars in U.S. investments from tech companies will help onshore manufacturing in the United States.
Economists warn that tariffs may ultimately be passed on to consumers, which has led to a surge in demand for big-ticket items like cars and electronics. Nintendo postponed the US preorder date of its Switch 2 gaming console due to concerns over tariffs, which could increase the price by $150.
The Trump administration claims that these tariffs will bring more manufacturing jobs to the United States and reverse a decades-long decline. However, some products can’t be easily made or found in the United States, increasing production costs.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/12/tech/trump-electronics-china-tariffs/index.html