Apple shipped 600 tons of iPhones to the US to avoid taxes

Faced with high tariffs, Apple has taken a number of steps to secure iPhone supplies, including air freighting hundreds of tons of devices to the US and ramping up production in India.

Apple has been making many "rescue" flights for iPhones since March.

According to media reports, the number of iPhones shipped to the US is up to 600 tons, equivalent to 1.5 million units. Since March, about six planes with a capacity of 100 tons have flown from India to the US, the anonymous source revealed. In addition, Apple also lobbied the Indian aviation authority to reduce customs clearance from 30 hours to 6 hours at Chennai International Airport.

In parallel, Apple also increased production at iPhone factories in the South Asian country by adding more workers and allowing Foxconn's largest factory to operate on Sundays.

Apple has shifted some production to India in recent years as tensions between the US and China escalated. According to Bloomberg, about 14% of iPhones will be assembled there by 2024.

On April 9, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day moratorium on reciprocal tariffs and a general 10% tariff, effective immediately. However, this policy does not apply to China – Apple’s largest manufacturing base. Instead, China will be subject to tariffs of up to 145%.

An anonymous supply expert said the iPhone 17 series could see a sharp price increase. Huatai Securities predicted that the new tariffs would make iPhones sold in the US $240 more expensive. Ives also said that if Apple manufactures iPhones in the US as Mr. Trump wants, the price of the iPhone could increase to $3,500.

Electronics manufacturing and assembly shifted to Asia decades ago, while US companies focused mainly on software development and product design, which yielded higher profit margins.

This strategy has helped Apple become one of the most valuable companies in the world and cemented its position as the top smartphone maker.

The chips used in the iPhone are mainly made in Taiwan, the display panels are supplied by Korea, some other components come from China and the final assembly stage mostly takes place here.

In February, Apple announced a $500 billion investment in the US over the next four years, but made no mention of iPhone production.

Analysts agree that iPhones will likely be 30-45% more expensive, even if the supply chain stays in Asia.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/apple-chuyen-600-tan-iphone-sang-my-de-tranh-thue-310743.html