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Yes, Trump's new 25% Apple tariff could increase the iPhone prices even more. Should you buy one now?

Tariffs could soon increase the price for the iPhone, but there are other reasons.

James Martin/Cnet

Anyone who is interested in buying a new iPhone may want to consider sooner than later. On Friday, President Donald Trump wrote on social media that Apple had to pay a tariff of 25% on iPhones outside the USA, a step that would almost certainly lead to higher prices.

“I have announced Tim Cook from Apple a long time ago that I expect your iPhone to be sold in the United States of America that are built in the USA, not in India or in another place. If this is not the case, a tariff of at least 25% of Apple has to be paid to the USA,” said Trump in the post office.

Trump did not clarify whether this tariff would be in addition to the existing tariffs that the company pays for imports from China, India and other countries, and it also did not provide a time frame for the implementation of this tariff.

This is the latest in the back and forth of the Trump government. At the beginning of May, the USA and China agreed for a 90-day break for most of their tariffs. A few days later, Trump warned Apple that we have moved the production of US IPHONES to India and that we are currently exposed to our own temporary tariff break (with the exception of basic tariffs) in front of a tariff of 26% in July. Perhaps.

Experts say price increases for the iPhone are probably on the way, regardless of what happens to tariffs.

“The iPhone is due with a price increase,” said Patrick Holland, Management of CNET, who has checked telephones for CNET since 2016. “The iPhone of the entry costs $ 829 and has killed so much for years [hike] Was in 2020. “

Shortly after President Donald Trump announced his “liberation day” tariffs, I recently bought a new iPhone 16 Pro, but before he added most Apple products to an exception list. Although I don't regret it, I also made sure that I could conveniently insert the purchase into my budget.

I am glad that I acted when I did it, but that doesn't mean you should rush into the Apple Store. If you think about buying a new iPhone, you need to know the following state of the customs and how you can influence the prices in the coming months. You can also check our persecution of the real effects of tariffs on popular technology products with our tariff price tracker.

Read more: iPhone 17 Pro rumors and Lecks: We have learned the following so far

How much could tariffs increase iPhone prices? We make mathematics

Companies do not always pass on the full tariff in the form of higher prices to customers, but they can. If Apple decides to compensate for the tariffs by increasing the prices, you can see a significant price jump.

Currently, iPhones, which have been manufactured in China, are subject to a 30% tariff that includes the 10% baseline plus a 20% “fentanyl tariff” for the alleged role of the country in the permission of fentanyl. Goods from India and other countries have a tariff of 10%. Here you can find out how the current tariffs and the potential apple tariff of 25% can affect the price of the iPhone:

How much could iPhones cost after tariffs in China?

iPhone model Current price Cost projection with the current tariff set of 30% Cost projection with an additional 25% tariff
iPhone 15 (128 GB) $ 699 909 $ $ 1.136
iPhone 15 Plus (128 GB) $ 799 $ 1,039 $ 1,299
iPhone 16e (128 GB) $ 599 $ 779 $ 974
iPhone 16 (128 GB) $ 799 $ 1,039 $ 1,299
iPhone 16 plus (128 GB) $ 899 $ 1.169 $ 1,461
iPhone 16 Pro (128 GB) $ 999 $ 1,299 $ 1.624
iPhone 16 Pro Max (256 GB) $ 1,199 $ 1.559 $ 1,949
iPhone 16 Pro Max (1 TB) $ 1,599 $ 2.079 $ 2.599

How much could iPhones cost in India after tariffs?

iPhone model Current price Cost projection with the current tariff set of 10% Cost projection with an additional 25% tariff
iPhone 15 (128 GB) $ 699 $ 769 $ 961
iPhone 15 Plus (128 GB) $ 799 $ 879 $ 1,099
iPhone 16e (128 GB) $ 599 $ 659 $ 824
iPhone 16 (128 GB) $ 799 $ 879 $ 1,099
iPhone 16 plus (128 GB) $ 899 $ 989 $ 1.236
iPhone 16 Pro (128 GB) $ 999 $ 1,099 $ 1.374
iPhone 16 Pro Max (256 GB) $ 1,199 $ 1.319 $ 1,649
iPhone 16 Pro Max (1 TB) $ 1,599 $ 1,759 $ 2.199

There is much more in the price of an iPhone than just where it is assembled. Apple evaluates components for its products from a long list of countries that are exposed to higher tariffs after the break. And a tariff for goods does not necessarily mean that the prices increase for the same amount. If companies want to remain competitive, they can absorb some of the costs to keep their prices lower.

“It will not be as high as 1-to-1 in terms of tariff,” said Reith. “Mathematics is not as clear as that of the tariffs.”

Apple did not answer a request for a comment for an earlier version of this story.

When could we see how the iPhone prices rise?

It is unclear when the prices could rise, but if companies are sold out from the devices generated in front of the tariffs, you may need to increase the prices for products in tariff programs.

Even if Apple cannot completely avoid tariffs, according to Joe Hudicka, it has to compensate for the effects of the supply chain, the effects of its services – including music, news and data plans.

“Apple will probably absorb some of the tariff costs in advance to keep the sticker prices stable, and then gradually the rest of the consumers through service bundle, durability and ecosystem upgrades,” he said. “Consumers will still pay, just not everyone at once.”

Regardless of how the tariff drama takes place, the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is planning to increase iPhone prices later this year. So expect prices to increase soon.

Is it better to buy or wait an iPhone and another technology now?

If you are already planning to buy a new iPhone, a gaming console, a MacBook or another technology, you may save it now. However, if you don't need a new phone immediately, Holland recommends waiting to wait.

“When iPhone prices rise, you know that how cars will probably increase the prices for used iPhones,” he said. “If Apple increases its prices, you will probably get more for your old iPhone when you exchange it, and that should compensate for the increased prices.”

If you do not have the money on hand and consider using a credit card or buy now, you will later pay the plan to avoid tariffs. Make sure you have the money to cover the costs before you start reaching interest. In view of the average interest rates of credit cards, the financing costs for the financing of a large purchase could quickly wipe out all savings that you would receive by buying before the prices due to tariffs.

“If you finance these expenses for a credit card and you cannot pay them out completely within one to two months, you will probably pay a lot more than a tariff would cost,” said Alaina Fingal, accountant, the founder of the organized money and a CNET expert. “I would recommend that you pause for large purchases until the economy is more stable.”

One way to save Apple products, even if the prices rise, is to buy the model of last year instead of the latest or used publication. Trading or selling a used can help compensate for the costs even more.

“With its certified renovated program, Apple has leaned into it, similar to the used car model of the auto industry,” said Hudicka. “This program helps to extend the life of the devices and keep customers longer in the Apple ecosystem and at the same time distribute the cost effects over time.”

Take a look at this: Buy or WAIT guidelines: How tariffs change the technical prices and what to do next

What is the latest tariffs?

On May 23, Trump Apple threatened with a tariff of at least 25% on all iPhones that were produced outside the United States and exposed the Tech giant pressure to improve US production. It is unclear whether this would be in addition to the new tariffs on the day of liberation.

On the day of the liberation, Trump announced a 10% basic tariff for all imports and mutual tariffs for imports from more than 180 countries. He quickly announced a 90-day break for the mutual tariffs, but left the basic management taxes on the spot.

Trump's long -advertised tariffs to enable the trade deficit and increase income to compensate for tax cuts, although many economists say that tariffs could lead to higher prices and the US economy could ultimately violate. The share prices sank after the announcement by Trump when the markets reacted poorly to the comprehensive tariffs.

Trump has taken a particularly hard attitude towards China that was already exposed to tariffs that Trump ordered during his first term. He started in February and imposed 20% tariffs and then announced a tariff of 34% on goods from China in April. He added an additional 50% tariff before finally landing 145% against China with the tariff of 145%. After each of Trump's announcements, China reacted with his own tariffs. This week they agreed to a deal to reduce their mutual tariffs by 115 percentage points for 90 days.

The US customs and border protection listed some important consumer electronics that were freed from mutual tariffs, but Trump said that these products were still exposed to a fentanyl tariff of 20%. Officials of the White House said that the delay was temporarily temporarily due to additional tariffs and that these products were instead exposed to a “semiconductor tariff”.

Before Trump announced the tariffs, Apple's largest suppliers in India had sent almost 2 billion US dollars worth almost 2 billion US dollars in March in March in March in March in March. According to reports, Apple can obtain its iPhones for the US market from India from India by the end of 2026 – although maybe not all of them. And Trump recently said he had made Apple CEO Tim Cook to bring us iPhone production from India to the United States.

However, the costs for moving to the USA could be unaffordable at least for the time being due to labor costs and logistics.

Theoretically, tariffs are theoretically to influence other countries because their goods are taxed. The tariffs are paid for by the US company that imports the product, and it is normally – but not always – passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices.

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