Trump Could Reconsider Tariffs on Apple Products Built in China

President Donald Trump recently ordered a 10% tariff on an additional $300 billion in goods imported from China. The new tariffs would significantly affect Apple products, most of which are made in China. More specifically, the new tariffs would affect products like the iPhone, iPad, Macs, as well as Apple Watches, AirPods, and other accessories.

The new tariffs are set to hit the Apple Watch and AirPods on September 1, while the tariffs for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac will hit on December 15. And that’s not good timing for Apple, considering the company is expected to launch new iPhones and a Mac next month.

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Trump could, however, reconsider the tariffs for Apple (via Bloomberg). Apple CEO Tim Cook and Trump discussed the new tariffs over dinner or Friday night, with Trump claiming that Cook made a “very compelling” argument for Apple’s case. Tim Cook apparently argued that it’s harder for Apple to compete with Samsung because the latter doesn’t have to pay a lot of the tariffs as it builds products in countries like Vietnam and South Korea (as well as China, of course).

“It’s tough for Apple to pay tariffs if it’s competing with a very good company that’s not,” Trump said.

The tariffs would obviously affect Apple’s profits from the iPhone and other products unless the cost of tariffs is passed on to the consumer, which would make it even harder for Apple to compete with Samsung. There’s still a chance Trump will reconsider the tariffs for Apple, though.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • iantrem

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2019 - 5:35 am

    <p>Is that "very <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">compelling" argument a donation to Trump's re-election campaign?</span></p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2019 - 6:10 am

    <p>So, that means that Apple isn't a very good company? :-S</p>

  • SimJeff

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2019 - 6:11 am

    <p>So, bringing up a specific issue of the tarrifs hurting one company can't be expanded in some sort of thought experiment to be hurting many to all companies? </p>

  • m_p_w_84

    19 August, 2019 - 9:38 am

    <p>hmmm…. I'm sure the entire point of the tariffs was to make manufacturing in China expensive and undesirable to encourage investment in the USA and elsewhere?</p>

    • SimJeff

      Premium Member
      19 August, 2019 - 12:58 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#450334">In reply to m_p_w_84:</a></em></blockquote><p>you may think this. Others may think this. I don't think those imposing this policy think this.</p>

      • MikeGalos

        19 August, 2019 - 3:38 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#450367">In reply to SimJeff:</a></em></blockquote><p>I don't think those imposing this policy think.</p>

        • SimJeff

          Premium Member
          20 August, 2019 - 8:13 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#450413">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote><p>I was aiming for being correct "technically" 🙂 </p>

  • patmcq

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2019 - 1:27 pm

    <p>Maybe, just maybe, Samsung is on to something?! Build in other countries…. And Cook does have a point, Apple customers are getting screwed already, can't really raise the price anymore.</p>

  • dontbeevil

    20 August, 2019 - 11:19 am

    <p>try to help the beloved poor apple? they had such low prices, but now they were obliged to rise the prices to keep a minimum of profit, they care so much about their users</p>

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