Apple’s supply chain under pressure from tariffs amid iPhone price hike speculation

The new tariffs will not hit iPhones assembled in China, but price hikes are expected with the iPhone 17 series this year

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The iPhone 16 displayed at an Apple Store in Shanghai on April 10. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:00am, 11 Apr 2025Updated: 4:28pm, 11 Apr 2025

Apple’s sprawling supply chain, from Chinese factories to global retail stores, faces unprecedented uncertainty as the US-China trade war intensifies, according to analysts and consumers.

While Chinese consumers are not rushing to Apple stores to pick up iPhones over fears of price hikes – most iPhones are not subject to Beijing’s retaliatory 84 per cent tariffs on US goods – there are signs of mounting concerns about supply disruptions and rising costs generally.

A supply chain expert close to Apple suppliers in China, who requested not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that prices for existing iPhone models sold in the country are unlikely to change. However, the iPhone 17 series could see higher prices as part of a global adjustment, the person added.

The new tariffs target US-made products and do not apply to iPhones, the expert said.

There has been a growing number of customer inquiries about price increases at Apple’s flagship store in Beijing’s Sanlitun shopping area, according to a store employee. Apple has yet to issue an official statement regarding concerns about the impact of the new US and China tariffs, which took effect this week. Apple did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

For now, prices for the iPhone 16 series, including the recently launched iPhone 16e, remain unchanged across major Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group Holding’s Taobao and Tmall marketplaces and JD.com, as well as Apple’s China website. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.