President Donald Trump has said his administration's sweeping tariff policy will incentivize U.S. multinationals to bring their manufacturing operations back to the States. That includes Apple, which the President hopes can begin making iPhones in the U.S.
"He believes we have the labor, we have the workforce, we have the resources to do it," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this month.
Experts say such a move is unlikely, with Needham analyst Laura Martin saying that, even if Apple wanted to move back, it would take years for the firm to move its supply chain to the U.S.
At least for the time being, the iPhone will continue to be predominantly made in China, a country which currently faces U.S. tariffs of up to 245% — the result of an escalating trade war between the two nations.
For now, the administration has exempted Chinese-made electronics, such as smartphones, from the harshest tariffs. But Trump says the relief would be temporary and that the administration planned to apply separate tariffs to the sector.
Amid the hubbub, you may be wondering — should I just buy a smartphone now before a new set of tariffs kick in?
"If you have the money, definitely buy right now," says Louis Ramirez, deals editor-in-chief at tech review site Tom's Guide. "The reason for that is because we don't know. We don't know what the price is going to be one month from now, two months now, even come fall. No one knows."
Why you'd be wise to buy now
When it comes to iPhones in particular, "Apple has a system where they always announce their new iPhone in mid-September. Then the phone goes on pre-order in late September, and in early October you can buy it," Ramirez says.
That means if there are still stiff tariffs on Chinese imports by the time Apple announces the iPhone 17 this fall, Ramirez says, the announcement could come with news that prices are headed upward. "The price of an iPhone could even double," he says.
Competitor's phones — such as the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy — are also made abroad in countries such as China, Vietnam and Indonesia, and could come with price hikes should U.S. tariff policies return in full force (including a 46% tariff on Vietnamese imports) in July, Ramirez adds. Apple, Google and Samsung declined to comment for this story.
If you are looking to upgrade, doing so now will likely save you some money, Ramirez says. That's especially true if you intend to pay the sticker price for an unlocked phone you can use at any carrier, he says. The newest iPhone and Galaxy models cost about $1,000.
You can also potentially get a phone free or deeply discounted from a wireless provider, either by switching carriers or trading in an old device. That's likely to continue, even if prices go up, says Ramirez.
"If the price on the iPhone jumps, say, $200, and you want a deal, your best bet will be to look for a carrier deal," he says. "If you're lucky, you may end up not paying much for your phone, depending on what model you go for."
Of course, if your current device is working just fine and you're happy with it, there's no pressing need to upgrade. When it comes to core functionality, there have historically been few differences from one model to the next, Ramirez says. "I'm using an iPhone 13 Pro, and it's still running like new."
The bottom line: If it's time to upgrade your smartphone anyway, you'd be wise to start looking now. But don't buy a new phone just to buy one, Ramirez says.
"There's no reason to upgrade every year. Or even every other year."
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