Trump exempts smartphones, computers, from tariffs, says US customs
Apple is giving India’s smartphone users another reason to believe
Just in time for options traders to make a killing, the Trump administration announced late Friday that smartphones, computers and other electronic devices will it seems be spared from the new “reciprocal” tariff scheme.
That’s probably less good news to pension funds, small investors, or even consumers who may have stretched their credit to buy an iPhone in the last week. But, I guess, really good news for Tim Cook’s Apple.
What we’ve been told
In its quietly published note, the agency states:
“In accordance with the April 11, 2025 Presidential Memorandum “Clarification of Exceptions Under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, as amended” (the Memorandum), products properly classified in the headings and subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) listed in the Memorandum, are reproduced below. All products that are properly classified in these listed provisions will be excluded from the reciprocal tariffs imposed under Executive Order 14257, as amended, pursuant to Section 3(b)(iv) of that Order, effective for merchandise entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01AM Eastern Daylight Time on April 5, 2025:
8471
30
8486
13.00 (This is specific to smartphones)
62.00
51.00
8524
52.00
10.00
21.00
29.00
30.00
49.10
49.70
49.80
49.95
51.00
59.00
90.00
8542
You can look up each of those classifications here.
“For products classified in the above headings and subheadings, importers should report the secondary classification under heading 9903.01.32 to declare the exception from the reciprocal tariff provided in heading 9903.01.25, or in headings 9903.01.43 – 9903.01.62 or 9903.01.64 – 9903.01.76 on April 9, 2025, or in heading 9903.01.63 since April 9, 2025.”
The move was announced late on Friday by US Customs and Border Protection and means those devices won’t be hammered with a 125% tarrif – they also mean US consumers will be spared huge price hikes on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, at least for a little longer.
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