[Source/Observer Network, Lin Chenli] According to reports by Indian media such as The Times of India and India Today, a senior Indian official said that in the last week of March, in order to avoid the 10% new tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump, which took effect on April 5, Apple urgently arranged five cargo planes fully loaded with iPhones and other products from China and India to the United States within three days.

The report pointed out that Apple's rapid movement of inventory from manufacturing centers in China and India to the United States was particularly special timing, as March is usually a product transportation off-season. This move showed that Apple quickly acted to mitigate the impact of the increased US import tariffs on its business.

A source said, "Factories in India, China, and other key regions have been continuously shipping products to the United States in anticipation of possible tariff increases."

The report stated that Apple's US warehouses had stockpiled inventory to meet demand for the coming months, attempting to maintain price stability in the short term. A source explained, "Products arriving at lower tariffs will allow the company temporarily to avoid paying higher prices for new batches of goods affected by the new tariffs."

The source noted that any pricing adjustments made by Apple to offset the impact of tariffs cannot be limited to the US market alone but must also be implemented in major key regions globally, including India. Apple is also analyzing how different tariff policies for various manufacturing locations in the US will affect its supply chain. The US remains one of Apple's main markets, and the company is trying to avoid passing higher costs onto customers.

On September 9, 2024, California, USA, Apple held its 2024 autumn product launch event. The iPhone 16 series was unveiled. IC Photo

In addition, the Trump administration's plan to impose higher rates on some economies, set to take effect on April 9, may further influence Apple's long-term manufacturing decisions.

According to previous reports by Reuters, most Apple phones are currently manufactured in China, and the US has already imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese goods, now increasing it to 34%, resulting in cumulative tariffs of 54%. India imposes a 26% "reciprocal tariff" on exports to the US. If these tariffs persist, Apple will face a difficult choice: to bear additional expenses or pass them on to consumers.

Analysts said that if Apple passes the cost on to consumers, prices will increase by 30% to 40%. Among them, the cheapest model of the US, the iPhone 16, priced at $799 (approximately 5840 RMB), may rise by 43% to $1142 (approximately 8346 RMB). The most expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max, priced at $1599 (approximately 11686 RMB), could approach $2300 (approximately 16810 RMB) after cost transfer.

On April 3, on what Trump called "Tariff Liberation Day," Apple's stock fell more than 8%, the worst performance since September 2020, wiping out over $300 billion (approximately 2.2 trillion RMB) in market value overnight. On April 7, Apple's stock fell for three consecutive trading days, with a total decline of 19%, wiping out nearly $640 billion in market value, almost equivalent to Argentina's GDP in 2023.

Analyst Crockett of Rosenblatt Securities pointed out, "Our quick calculation shows that this could severely hit Apple, causing the company to lose $40 billion (approximately 2923 billion RMB)." He added, "It is hard to imagine Trump destroying an 'icon of America'... but the situation looks quite serious right now."

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