Apple fans have promised to boycott the company as the staggering price of the latest iPhone under President Donald Trump’s tariffs is revealed.
After Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff crackdown, experts have warned that the cost of a 256GB iPhone 16 Pro will surge from $1,100 (£850) to an eye-watering $3,500 (£2,715).
This is because Apple manufactures its iPhone in China, which has been hit with a staggering 54 per cent tax on its imported goods.
On social media, tech fans have been outraged by the possible price hike, with some claiming that it is time to say: ‘Goodbye iPhone hello Samsung’.
The cost of producing the popular smartphone is set to increase from $580 (£450) to $850 (£660), TechInsights analyst Wayne Lam told The Wall Street Journal.
With most of these costs expected to be passed on to the consumer, many former Apple customers are now preparing to abandon the US tech giant.
On X, formerly Twitter, one frustrated commenter called the tariffs ‘Trump’s masterstroke to promote Android phones.’
While another advised: ‘Just buy a Samsung problem solved.’
After Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff crackdown, experts have warned that the cost of a 256GB iPhone 16 Pro will surge from $1,100 (£850) to an eye-watering $3,500 (£2,715)
Part of Trump’s motivation for imposing taxes on international imports was to encourage domestic manufacturing
On X, formerly Twitter, Apple fans said it was time to say ‘good bye iPhone hello Samsung’
Faced with higher prices, several commenters advised potential buyers to leave Apple for another company
Currently, the cost of assembly is around $30 in China, but this would soar by ten times if production moved to the US, Mr Lam explained.
Apple declined the WSJ’s request for comment on any potential price increases related to the newly imposed tariffs.
However, if analysts’ predictions are correct, the introduction of tariffs makes it likely that the cost of an iPhone will increase.
On social media, tech fans appeared to be braced for the worst with one commenter remarking: ‘Apple users about to find out what real inflation feels like.’
Another joked: ‘Trump helping to make the iPhone 16e look like a good deal lol’.
Worryingly for Apple, several former customers have already said they will refuse to pay the increased price and are calling on others to do the same.
On X, one commenter suggested: ‘Stop buying iPhones?’
‘Stop buying these expensive phones’, another said.
One commenter on X joked that the introduction of tariffs was a ‘masterstroke’ to promote non-Apple products
Social media users appeared to be braced for the worst as Trump’s tariffs sparked fears of rising consumer prices
Several commenters called for buyers to abandon Apple’s ‘expensive phones’ and look for alternatives elsewhere
One commenter chipped in: ‘Don’t buy it. You don’t need it. It’s A LUXURY’.
While another complained that the iPhone ‘wasn’t worth it to begin with’.
Similarly, one tech fan complained: ‘Not sure why people spend so much for an iPhone anyway. Get an Android.’
Even those who might be thinking about buying an iPhone suggested that they would either avoid making the purchase or delay upgrading to the newer model.
A potential Apple customer wrote: ‘I was just about to get one too. I’ll have to wait a little bit and see how it all plays out.’
‘No one needs to buy an iPhone every year,’ added another.
Trump claims his tariffs will encourage domestic manufacturing by increasing the price of foreign products.
But since Apple would still need to import the raw materials used to make its devices, experts say there is not an economical way to make iPhones on US soil.
A commenter complained that they were ‘not sure why people spend so much for an iPhone anyway’
Potential Apple fans who may have been on the fence about upgrading to the latest model said they would have to wait and see how tariffs changed the product’s price
Others said that people should upgrade their devices less frequently, adding that ‘no one needs to buy an iPhone every year’
In response to Trump’s Liberation Day, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the country will tack on an additional 34 per cent tariff on all US imports
Moving iPhone production to America would be a ‘massive, mammoth undertaking,’ senior research analyst at brokerage firm Rosenblatt Securities Barton Crockett told the WSJ.
‘It’s not clear you can make a competitively priced smartphone here,’ he told the outlet.
On ‘Liberation Day’, Trump declared that foreign trade and economic practices have sparked a national emergency.
All nations will be faced with at least 10 per cent tariffs on all US imports starting on Saturday.
But more than 90 countries will be hit with additional reciprocal tariffs in order to make the US ‘wealthy again’ by April 9.
Reciprocal tariffs, according to the White House, are the rates ‘necessary to balance bilateral trade deficits between the US and each of our trading partners.’
Several countries – including China – will be subjected to these individualized taxes, which are calculated by the White House while factoring in those nation’s trade policies.
In response to Trump’s Liberation Day, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the country will tack on an additional 34 per cent tariff on all US imports.
The new tariff, which comes into effect on April 10, matches the rate of the ‘reciprocal’ 34 per cent levy imposed by Trump. The levies are in addition to the existing tariffs already imposed on US goods.
‘China’s new tariffs stop short of full-blown trade war, but they mark a clear escalation – matching Trump blow-for-blow and signalling that Xi Jinping won’t sit back under pressure,’ Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Associated Press.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, Trump had already hit China with two rounds of 10 per cent importing tariffs.
‘The longer this drags, the harder it becomes for either side to deescalate without losing face,’ Singleton warned.
THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: Apple brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once with many delayed until the following year.
