Models of the latest Apple iPhone 16 are showcased at an Apple Store in Manhattan Beach, California, on April 8.
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Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images
The Trump administration has updated its list of imports impacted by extensive global tariffs, now excluding particular electronics, such as smartphones and computers.
The revised guidelines were released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday evening. This exemption will affect President Trump’s high “reciprocal tariffs” imposed across numerous countries, which have now been delayed until early July, along with the 145% taxes currently applied to China. It’s this nation that has been excluded from the pause on reciprocal tariffs.
The electronics exemption comes into effect for products entering the U.S. or leaving warehouses as of April 5.
This exemption marks a significant shift in the ongoing tariff conflict with China, which has enacted a 125% tax on U.S. products. It was previously anticipated that prices for electronics from China—a crucial sector—would soar.
Items now sheltered from Trump’s high tariffs include smartphones, computers, semiconductors, and flat panel display components. However, the updated guidance does not reference any modifications to the ongoing 20% tariff on Chinese goods related to China’s participation in fentanyl trafficking.
The U.S. International Trade Commission notes that China has historically been the main supplier of electronic products to the U.S., with Mexico, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia following closely behind.
Concerns have been raised for American technology giants that depend on supply chains within China, such as Apple. Prior to this updated guidance, major obstacles were forecasted for Apple due to the tariffs, as Dan Ives, the global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, mentioned in a CNBC interview this past week.
