In a significant breakthrough for tech giants, smartphones and computers have been carved out of the sweeping reciprocal tariffs that the U.S. President Donald Trump has thrust upon Chinese imports, as outlined in new directives from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The latest guidance was confirmed late Friday, providing much-needed clarity following Trump’s recent decision to enact hefty 145% duties on select Chinese goods, casting clouds over firms like Apple, heavily reliant on Chinese manufacturing for products like iPhones.
The directive further broadens the scope of excluded categories, sparing laptops, semiconductors, solar cells, flat panel TV displays, flash drives, and solid-state drives. Although the specter of additional tariffs lingers over these products, any potential tariffs are expected to fall significantly short of the original 145% levied on other Chinese imports.
For tech behemoths such as Apple, this represents a crucial reprieve. With over 80% of its output tied to China—from iPads to a significant portion of its Mac lineup—such exemptions remove an immediate burden and underscore Apple’s intricate connection to the Chinese production landscape, as noted by financial services firm Evercore ISI.
Earlier this week, Reuters cited a source by stating that Apple now hired cargo flights to deliver 600 tons of iPhones, or as many as 1.5 million iPhones from India to the United States. Following the tariff pause, Apple convinced Indian airport authorities at the Chennai airport to clear customs.
