With the full breadth of Trump’s tariffs slated to kick in on Wednesday, Apple is stockpiling iPhone inventory in the United States as quickly as possible. A new report from The Times of India today says that part of Apple’s strategy to limit the impact of these tariffs is to stockpile as much inventory as possible in the United States…
According to senior Indian officials cited in the report, Apple flew five planes full of iPhones and other products from India and China “in just three days during the final week of March.”
“Factories in India and China and other key locations had been shipping products to the US in anticipation of the higher tariffs,” one source to The Times of India
Apple currently assembles the entire iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 lineups in India as well as China. A 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the United States kicked in on Saturday. On April 9, the tariffs that Trump has falsely labeled as “reciprocal” will kick in. This will raise the tariff rate on imports from China to 54% and imports from India to 27%.
By stockpiling as much inventory as possible in the United States, Apple can delay the impact of the tariffs. It’s unclear just how much inventory Apple has on hand in the US right now, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s to never doubt Tim Cook’s supply chain prowess.
If Apple is able to stockpile enough iPhone inventory in the US for the foreseeable future, it could stave off having to increase iPhone prices until the iPhone 17 launch this fall. Its other products, however, might not be so lucky. For example, most build-to-order configurations of the Mac ship straight from Apple’s factories in China to consumers in the United States.
AAPL stock is down nearly 5% today and down 18% in the last five days on the impact of Trump’s tariffs.
…and while I was writing this story, Trump took to social media to threaten an additional 50% tariff starting Wednesday on imports from China unless the country walks back its 34% retaliatory tariff. That would bring the total tariff on imports from China to a whopping 104%. You can’t make this up.
I will once again reiterate my advice from last week: if you need an Apple product, or think you might need one soon, buy it now.
My favorite iPhone accessories:
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