South Korean media: Apple faces "double blow", and Samsung can't laugh either! On June 11, the South Korean newspaper The Herald Economy published an article stating that Apple is facing a double blow, but its competitor Samsung Electronics can't afford to smile either. Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone companies launching mid-to-low-end models are expected to gain benefits. Recently, U.S. President Trump dropped a "tariff bomb" of 25% on the smartphone industry including Apple. Recently, Trump stated on social media, "If Apple does not manufacture in the U.S., it will have to pay at least a 25% tariff." It is expected that the tariffs will begin to be levied by the end of June. Apple's plan to enter India also seems full of difficulties. Trump emphasized, "I have told Apple CEO Tim Cook many times that I want iPhones sold in the U.S. to be manufactured in the U.S., not in India or other countries." Trump encouraged investment in the U.S., stating, "If you build factories in the U.S., there will be no tariffs." However, some analysts believe that building factories in the U.S. will be difficult. Dan Ives, global technology research director at Wedbush Securities, said, "If manufactured in the U.S., the price of an iPhone may reach $3,500." Industry insiders also said, "Apple is a company that outsources production to partners like Foxconn. They are discussing introducing these companies into the U.S. and establishing production bases, but it won't be easy." Samsung Electronics, which competes with Apple for the top spot in the smartphone market share, is also affected by the tariffs. President Trump specifically pointed out, "Samsung Electronics will also be affected by the tariffs." Samsung Electronics has smartphone production bases in Vietnam and other countries. If tariffs are imposed according to Trump's decision, price increases seem inevitable. The price hikes of the two companies may become a growth stepping stone for companies providing relatively cheap smartphones. Especially Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo and other Chinese enterprises are expanding their smartphone market share by focusing on mid-to-low-priced models. Professor Kim Dae-jong of Sejong University said, "Chinese smartphone companies have limited sales business in the U.S., but hold important positions in global emerging markets. If the U.S. imposes tariffs on Apple and Samsung, Chinese smartphone companies will have the opportunity to use their price competitiveness as a weapon for growth." At the same time, Apple's sales in China have already weakened. According to data from market research firm Counterpoint, Apple's market share in China's smartphone market was 17% in the fourth quarter last year, down 4 percentage points year-on-year. On the other hand, Xiaomi, vivo and other Chinese enterprises showed an upward trend. Samsung Electronics' market share is also declining. According to Counterpoint's released global smartphone market share, Samsung Electronics' share fell 2 percentage points year-on-year to 20% in the first quarter this year. [Image: //p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-ezhpy3drpa/1f83d1029d0f4a4190cc4cf153b73a2b~tplv-obj:3200:2000.image?_iz=97245&bid=15&from=post&gid=1834636350146572&lk3s=06827d14&x-expires=1757462400&x-signature=ySle%2FKpvWGIQo2DmpL0IfSNcqbU%3D] Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834636350146572/ Disclaimer: This article only represents the author's personal views.