Tech companies caught a break from steep China tariffs, but this relief might not last long. The Trump administration says the 125 percent tariff exemption for smartphones, laptops, and wearables will disappear soon. Officials plan to announce new tax measures for these products within "a month or two."
US Customs recently published exclusions from Trump's reciprocal tariff list, sparing electronic devices from the full 145 percent tax burden. Instead, these items currently face just 20 percent in duties. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik clarified during an ABC News interview that the tech sector will receive a "special focus type of tariff" later on.
President Trump confirmed these plans, noting his administration will examine semiconductors and the entire electronics supply chain. The upcoming tax rate might land somewhere between previous levels and the full 125 percent reciprocal tariff. This situation pushes Apple to reduce its dependence on Chinese manufacturing.
The company already produces some devices in Vietnam, including M4 MacBook Air and M3 Ultra Mac Studio models. However, Vietnamese production capacity remains much smaller than China's manufacturing operations. Apple may increase investments in places like India and Vietnam, encouraging suppliers to follow suit.
US Customs recently published exclusions from Trump's reciprocal tariff list, sparing electronic devices from the full 145 percent tax burden. Instead, these items currently face just 20 percent in duties. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik clarified during an ABC News interview that the tech sector will receive a "special focus type of tariff" later on.
President Trump confirmed these plans, noting his administration will examine semiconductors and the entire electronics supply chain. The upcoming tax rate might land somewhere between previous levels and the full 125 percent reciprocal tariff. This situation pushes Apple to reduce its dependence on Chinese manufacturing.
The company already produces some devices in Vietnam, including M4 MacBook Air and M3 Ultra Mac Studio models. However, Vietnamese production capacity remains much smaller than China's manufacturing operations. Apple may increase investments in places like India and Vietnam, encouraging suppliers to follow suit.
