'Victory' for Apple

iPhone 16 on display at an Apple store in New York (USA). Photo: Bloomberg .

According to the guidance of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), smartphones and computers are on the list of technology devices and components exempted from tariffs by President Donald Trump.

The guidance was issued on the evening of April 11 (Vietnam time) after Mr. Trump imposed a 145% tax on goods imported from China. Some of the exempted devices include semiconductors, solar panels, flat-screen TVs, flash drives, memory cards, etc.

Although it may only be temporary, the tax exemption is seen as positive news for many technology companies such as Apple, which faces the prospect of increased iPhone prices due to tariffs.

Apple "breathed a sigh of relief" on the weekend

The tariff exemptions are a win for many companies, including Apple, which manufactures most of its devices in China. Evercore ISI estimates that 80% of iPads and more than 50% of Macs are assembled in the country.

“This is a dream scenario for tech investors. Tariff-free smartphones and chips are a game-changer given the tariffs on China,” Dan Ives, director of global technology research at Wedbush Securities, told CNBC .

Ives likened the tariffs to a “dark cloud hanging over the tech industry” since they were announced, because it was a sector that was heavily impacted.

“I think the big tech CEOs have spoken out. The White House has to understand and listen to the situation that this is going to be apocalyptic for big tech if (the tariffs) go into effect,” Ives stressed.

Tim Cook, Apple CEO at the iPhone 16 launch event. Photo: Bloomberg .

Most iPhones are made at Foxconn’s complex in Zhengzhou, China. Some workers told the Financial Times that production at the factory was running as normal, but they were still concerned about the impact of tariffs and the trade war.

“Big tech companies like Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and the tech industry at large can breathe a sigh of relief this weekend.

The exemption is a big step forward for the US tech industry and the most optimistic news we could hear over the weekend,” added analysts at Wedbush.

Chip companies benefit

Semiconductors and microchips are also on the list of exempt products. These are products that are largely manufactured in Asia due to lower costs. According to CNN , some of the semiconductor companies that will benefit include TSMC, Samsung and SK Hynix.

“All products that properly classify under these listed terms will be exempt from tariffs,” the CBP announcement said.

In fact, the original list of exempted products already included some semiconductors, including CPUs. However, it did not include GPUs, a key component for AI data centers. GPUs were only added in the latest CBP guidance.

Another important addition to the tariff exemption list is semiconductor manufacturing equipment from ASML (Netherlands) and Tokyo Electron (Japan). These tools are essential for building chip factories.

Mr. Trump signed an executive order during a tariff announcement in the Rose Garden on April 2. Photo: Bloomberg.

Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the move was similar to the tariff exemptions on smartphones and consumer electronics that Trump enacted in 2018 and 2019.

“We need to wait and see if this tax break will be maintained, or if the president will reverse the policy again in the near future,” Bown said.

According to The Verge , tariffs have caused many products to increase in price in the US. Some new Sony TVs are more expensive, while OnePlus also quietly adjusted the price of its smartwatch without explaining why.

Other companies have chosen to wait for the new policy to take effect. Nintendo, for example, has delayed the pre-order date for its Switch 2 gaming console in the US but kept the price at $450 , while Apple reportedly “rushed” to import 600 tons of iPhones from India before the tariffs took effect.

Still challenging

According to Reuters , the tax exemption for some items shows that the Trump administration is aware of the negative impact of tariffs on consumers, especially on some popular products such as smartphones and laptops.

Global markets have been rocked since Mr Trump announced the tariffs, with Apple losing more than $640 billion in market value. Some estimates suggest that the price of an iPhone in the US could rise to $3,500 if the tariffs are imposed.

Stocks have seen a sharp sell-off, creating uncertainty on Wall Street. Mr. Trump’s tariffs have also sparked a rapidly escalating trade war with China.

Analysts also warn that the cost of tariffs could be passed on to consumers. This fear has led many Americans to rush to buy expensive products, such as cars, electronics and even iPhones, for fear of higher prices.

At the time, the Trump administration argued that tariffs would bring more manufacturing jobs to the U.S. But some companies with complex supply chains found it difficult to move factories to the U.S., let alone find workers and pay higher costs.

Mr. Trump speaks on Air Force One on April 11. Photo: New York Times .

According to CNBC , the negative market moves may be the reason why the White House has taken some measures, including postponing reciprocal tariffs for 90 days with most countries, except China.

However, tech companies may not be out of the woods yet. According to Bloomberg , the exemption list stems from the original policy of not imposing additional tariffs on certain sectors to avoid overlapping tariffs. Overall, the tariff exemptions may only be temporary.

The news agency said that Mr. Trump could prepare specific tariffs for certain technology products, expected to be announced in the near future.

“The administration is expected to launch a new investigation into semiconductor imports that could lead to new tariffs on chips in the coming weeks,” Bloomberg reported.

Source: https://znews.vn/chien-thang-danh-cho-apple-post1545418.html