Technological journalist
ReutersThe most popular gadgets in the world – phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches – could be about to become much more expensive in the United States.
Many of them are manufactured in China, which now faces a 145% rate on its goods imported into the United States, under the controversial commercial policy of President Donald Trump.
The effect it can have on the iPhone and its Apple manufacturer is under the spotlight – some analysts saying that if the costs are transmitted to consumers, iPhone prices in the United States could increase hundreds of dollars.
And if prices have an impact on the value of the dollar, it could become more expensive to import iPhones and other devices from around the world – which could lead to higher prices in British stores.
Ben Wood of CCS Insight told the BBC that if prices remain in place, Apple can increase iPhone prices in the world when the next iteration is launched.
“It is unlikely that the company wants to have differentiated prices worldwide,” he said-because the technology giant would prevent people from buying the apparatus at a lower cost in the United Kingdom and selling it for lucrative purposes in the United States.
Although others say They believe that this could lead to cheaper prices if companies normally send their goods to the United States, rather send them to countries that do not have such high prices, such as the United Kingdom.
And there may be a significant change if the cost of prices is transmitted to consumers worldwide – longer contracts to distribute the cost of the device.
Although a telephone contract can generally last two years, Wood said that some companies already offer four -year offers, and he thought that “we could see five -year contracts” in 2025.
“You could say that it is almost like having a mortgage for your smartphone,” he said.
Where are iPhones made?
The United States is a major market for iPhones and Apple represent more than half of its smartphone sales last year, According to Counterpoint Research.
He says that 80% of Apple iPhones intended for American sales are made in China, the remaining 20% made in India.
With its giant smartphones colleagues such as Samsung, Apple has tried to diversify its supply chains to avoid excessive dependence on China in recent years.
India and Vietnam have emerged as advantages for additional manufacturing centers.
While the prices took effect, Apple would have sought to speed up and increase its production of products in India in recent days.
Reuters reported Thursday That Apple has chartered freight flights to send more than 600 tonnes of India iphones to the United States.
In the middle of the 90 -day break break on prices, including those taken from India, the country could benefit from an iPhone manufacturing boost.
The BBC approached Apple to comment on the impact of prices on their operations and their prices, but has not yet had an answer.
To what extent is the apple exposed to prices?
Trump and his advisers said the goal of his prices is to encourage more American manufacturing.
However, the technological industry is based on a global network of suppliers for product components and assembly.
This, and finding qualified workers to correspond to the rapid pace and a low production cost in Asia, means that the relocation of supply chains is not a simple feat.
Apple hired an investment of $ 500 billion (385 billion pounds Sterling) in the United States in February – What the Trump administration believes will result in greater local manufacturing.
But Wedbush’s Securities Analyst Dan Ives said that the changing parties of his cheaper manufacturing centers in Asia will take a lot of time and money.
“The reality is that it would take 3 years and 30 billion dollars in our estimate to move even 10% of its Asian supply chain in the United States with a major disturbance in the process,” he Written on April 3.
Will iPhone prices increase?
Apple has not yet revealed if they are planning to pass the costs of consumer prices in the United States and increase prices.
Some analysts believe that Apple is in a luckier position than others, having collected more money from his products than he spent to make them.
“As a business with lucrative margins on its devices, Apple can absorb part of the cost increases induced by prices without significant financial impact, at least in the short term,” said Dipanjan Chatterjee, main analyst of Forrester.
But he notes that the strong brand and the popularity of the company can allow it to transmit costs to consumers without too many backlash.
“The brand hangs better fidelity than its competitors, and it is unlikely that an increase in manageable prices will send these customers fleeing in the arms of competitors based on Android.”
Some estimates suggest that iPhone prices in the United States could as much as triple if the costs were transmitted to consumers.
After increasing Trump’s price in China at 125%, the cost of an iPhone 16 Pro Max from the iPhone 16 with 256 GB would have reached $ 1,199 to $ 1,999, according to estimates from the UBS investment bank company.
They estimate a less significant increase in the iPhone 16 Pro 128 GB of storage – which is made in India – from five percent from $ 999 to $ 1046.
While some analysts such as Dan Ives have suggested that the cost of an “made in USA” iPhone could rise to $ 3,500.
What can consumers do about it?
There is still a lot of uncertainty about what will then happen, and the way companies like Apple will react to the prices remains to be seen.
It did not stop some American customers would rush into Apple stores to buy your smartphones.
The BBC spoke to buyers outside an Apple store in New York which had bought products in the fear of an increase in potential prices.
Anthony Cacioppo, a 53 -year -old DJ and security technician, bought the new iPhone.
“I really didn’t need a phone … But I’m not ready to pay double the price,” he said.
Bruce Conroy, a hairdresser, told BBC that even if prices had increased considerably, he “would have remained with Apple products” – although potentially delayed his purchase of a new iPad.
“I bought it because the prices arrive, I want to buy before the prices increase and I expect them to do it,” said Julia Baumann, a personal finance publisher, of her new MacBook.
We will probably have to wait until fall to see how much the next iPhone will cost.
But if it seems that the costs incurred by prices will cause higher price labels, some may look for rival handsets or used devices.
CCS Insight estimates that 5.5 million occasion smartphones will be sold in the United Kingdom in 2025, which represents 29.7% of the total market.
The iPhone remains one of the most expensive smartphones on the market – and brands such as Google and Samsung offer phones with similar features at a lower cost.
The other option, and perhaps the most profitable, could be for people to skip upgrade to more recent iPhone models and to seek towards slightly older and cheaper versions.
“The path of the slightest resistance would be to keep the smartphone that they already have longer,” said Wood.
Additional report by Paul Sargeant, Tom Finn and Pratiksha Ghildial.
