Apple plans countermeasures against US tariff policy

Apple is facing a major challenge. The US government is planning to impose high import tariffs on goods from numerous countries – and this could prove costly for Apple. Because the company's products are manufactured almost exclusively abroad, Apple is particularly affected. A report by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman shows how the company could try to mitigate the impact.

Last week, the Trump administration announced a far-reaching tariff plan. It affects imports from almost all countries outside the US – sometimes with drastic surcharges. This poses a real problem for Apple, as a large portion of its production takes place in China, India, and Vietnam. Apple shares reacted immediately, falling by around ten percent. Gurman has compiled several approaches Apple could use to minimize the impact of these tariffs. These include supply chains, pricing, and political contacts.

What the new tariffs mean

The planned tariffs are scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, April 9. They include the following surcharges:

China: 54 percent
India: 26 percent
Vietnam: 46 percent

Other countries are also affected, some with even higher tariffs. For a company like Apple, which relies heavily on international production, this means enormous additional costs.

For example, since the iPhone X in 2017, the starting price of the more expensive iPhone models has been $999 in the US. Apple hasn't changed that so far. Many other devices have also seen little price change in recent years. The new tariffs could change that.

What Apple wants to do to counteract this

Apple is apparently not sitting idly by. According to Gurman, there are a number of measures that are either already underway or planned.

First, Apple is putting pressure on suppliers and manufacturers to offer lower prices. The goal is to offset increased import costs with lower manufacturing costs.
Second, Apple might be willing to cover some of the additional costs itself. The company's average profit margin is around 45 percent. This theoretically provides some buffer to absorb higher costs in the short term without immediately raising prices.
Third, short-term price adjustments cannot be ruled out. For example, Apple could slightly increase the price of certain models or selectively reduce discounts to cushion losses. According to Gurman, the company is currently in "valuation mode."
Fourth, Apple plans to further diversify its supply chain. Specifically, this means moving away from China and toward other production countries. India and Vietnam are potential candidates, but they are also affected by tariffs – albeit somewhat less severely. According to current estimates, manufacturing in the US is not under discussion.

Inventories as a short-term buffer

Another point: Apple has massively increased its inventory in the US in recent months. Products already in the country are not affected by the new tariffs. This allows Apple to sell devices at current prices for a while longer – possibly until the next iPhone launch in September. The downside to this tactic: If Apple does raise prices later, it could be more noticeable – especially if new devices are introduced at the same time. Gurman notes that Apple doesn't want to give the impression that price increases are the most important innovation in the next product generation (via Bloomberg).

Negotiations in the background

Tim Cook has actively advocated for exemptions in the past – and not without success. Apple could attempt to use political means to obtain special regulations this time as well. This hasn't been officially confirmed, but it's not ruled out either.

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How Apple is responding to the tariff crisis

Apple is under pressure. The new US tariffs pose a real risk to the company's pricing structure and margins. At the same time, however, the company has also demonstrated that it has prepared several strategies to minimize the impact. These include negotiations with suppliers, temporary pricing strategies, supply chain diversification, and the targeted buildup of inventory in the US. What this means for you as a buyer: In the short term, prices are likely to remain stable, at least for products already in the country. How the situation develops in the medium term depends on how successful Apple is with its measures – and whether political negotiations might still bring about a turnaround. (Photo by Unsplash / Artem Horovenko)