Towards a surge in prices?
According to its latest report, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) had addressed the possible impacts of the tariff policy envisaged by Donald Trump. The latter aimed in particular customs duties of 60% on products from China. For him, this measure would encourage American production and reduce dependence on foreign imports, especially in technological matters.
Globally, consumers could unfortunately bear part of the cost with prices revised upwards on tech products. This could have the opposite effect than expected, namely a drop in purchases and – more generally – in purchasing power, which would not necessarily benefit the US economy. The CTA mentions quite incredible increases of up to 46% for laptops or tablets, 40% for game consoles or 26% for smartphones.
Finally, the report warns that this policy could also damage the United States’ image internationally and cause wider economic consequences globallysuch as a downgrade in its credit rating or an increase in trade tensions with other nations. In response, the latter could impose their own customs duties on American exports, this has already happened during his previous mandate with certain French products.
Quid d’Apple ?
The question is what impact this could have on Apple products.. The increase in customs duties will probably not lead to the return of production to the United States – which is physically impossible within four years – but rather to relocation to countries other than China.
In fact, he returns more expensive to move sites (but also to find, train, pay labor) than to pay additional taxes. However, as the queen of profitability, Apple anticipated part of the question.
In recent years (and even more so since COVID), it has taken numerous measures to diversify its production chain and relocate it outside Chinaespecially in India, Vietnam, Brazil and other countries. But ultimately this 60% rate could still affect the prices of its products in the United States, because many critical components are still manufactured in China.
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