Donald Trump’s latest tariff move spares smartphones and computers, with exemptions aimed at protecting major US tech firms like Apple.
Credit : Shutterstock, Joshua Sukoff
In a surprising U-turn, the Trump administration has decided to exempt smartphones, laptops and other electronics from its latest wave of tariffs on Chinese imports — a move likely to calm tensions in the global tech market.
The exemption, confirmed by a notice from US Customs and Border Protection, applies not only to the previously announced 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods but also to Trump’s broader reciprocal global tariff strategy.
Trump’s tariffs leave key tech imports untouched
Among the biggest beneficiaries of the exemption is Apple, whose iPhone production is heavily reliant on Chinese assembly lines. Over 90 per cent of iPhones sold globally are produced in China, and tariffs on such a vital component of Apple’s supply chain would have sent costs soaring.
Also spared are semiconductors, solar cells, memory cards and a range of electronic components that form the backbone of not only consumer tech but also electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and data centres.
Had the tariffs gone ahead, they would have hit hundreds of billions in tech goods, likely causing price hikes for consumers and headaches for manufacturers.
5 April marks start of US tariff exemptions on tech goods
According to US customs authorities, the exemption is already in effect. It covers goods that entered the US or were released from bonded warehouses from April 5th onwards, ensuring no retroactive penalties apply.
The announcement hasn’t ended the uncertainty, though. While tech products may have dodged the tariff bullet this time, other sectors remain affected — and future revisions aren’t off the table.
For now, however, American tech firms and consumers alike can breathe a little easier — their devices, at least for the moment, are staying tariff-free.
