President Donald Trump has spared iPhone, laptops and other electronics from his brutal China tariffs in surprise move.

The moves gives the likes of Apple and Samsung a major win while Americans dodge massive price hikes.

Under the unexpected tariff exclusions, quietly revealed late Friday by US Customs and Border Protection, the gadgets will avoid Trump’s 125 percent import tax on Chinese goods – and even his sweeping 10 percent global tariff.

The list of spared items includes smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives, memory chips, and processors – all tech essentials that are rarely made in the United States. 

Experts say it would take years to ramp up domestic production, if it happens at all. More than 80 percent of all Apple products are made in China — including a staggering 80 percent of iPads and over half of all Mac computers, according to data from Evercore ISI.

In the days following Trump’s tariff announcement, Apple saw $640 billion wiped from its market value.

But it is not clear if the tariff timeout is permanent. The White House’s move appears to stem from technical rules that stop overlapping tariffs – meaning the products could still face new, smaller levies in the near future.

The tariff reprieve — first reported by Bloomberg on Saturday morning — may be temporary, as the exclusions may soon be replaced by a different, likely lower, tariff for China. 

China is preparing for a 'prolonged economic warfare' with Donald Trump (pictured) after the president added additional tariffs on Beijing, while announcing a pause for other trading partners

China is preparing for a ‘prolonged economic warfare’ with Donald Trump (pictured) after the president added additional tariffs on Beijing, while announcing a pause for other trading partners

The Communist nation – under President Xi Jinping (pictured) has spent years fostering a strategy that transitioned from building housing to $1.9trillion constructing factories to make cheap goods for export, seeing them rise 13 percent and 17 percent in 2023 and 2024

Semiconductors, in particular, remain a big question mark. Trump has vowed to slap a sector-specific tariff on them but has so far held back. 

His administration’s latest carveouts seem to align with that delay – for now.

Trump’s current industry-focused tariffs sit at 25 percent, but sources say it’s unclear what rate semiconductors and chipmaking tools could ultimately face.

China and the U.S. remain locked in an extended trade war, with Beijing responding to the latest tariff hikes by threatening to unleash a $1.9 trillion wave of exports, part of what officials described as ‘long-term economic warfare.’

China’s current strategy has shifted away from real estate and toward massive factory investment, with industrial output continuing to surge in 2025 following double-digit growth over the past two years.

The Chinese government under Xi Jinping has funneled trillions of yuan into building out its global manufacturing base — especially in areas like consumer electronics, electric vehicle components, and industrial chips — making the country a critical, if politically fraught, part of the global supply chain.

While Apple was spared in this latest round, the company continues to face challenges. 

Its reliance on Chinese manufacturing has made it a frequent target amid growing nationalist sentiment in China, where some users on social media platforms like Weibo have renewed calls for an iPhone boycott in retaliation.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is among the Silicon Valley chief executives who turned to Donald Trump in the run up to his election victory, buoyed by his promises to cut regulation and taxes

Apple CEO Tim Cook is among the Silicon Valley chief executives who turned to Donald Trump in the run up to his election victory, buoyed by his promises to cut regulation and taxes

President Donald Trump explains his 'Liberation Day' crackdown at the White House last week

President Donald Trump explains his ‘Liberation Day’ crackdown at the White House last week 

CEO Tim Cook has made multiple visits to China over the past year to smooth tensions and promote Apple’s presence there, but analysts warn that public perception and policy risks remain high.

Although Apple has begun diversifying production to India, Vietnam, and even the United States, the company still depends heavily on Chinese infrastructure and labor — particularly for high-volume and high-precision components.

Critics say the exemption may be politically calculated, designed to avoid triggering consumer backlash during an election year, while quietly preserving pressure on other sectors of the Chinese economy.

For now, the tech sector has dodged a potentially massive disruption. 

But as the U.S. and China continue to flex their economic power, industry leaders are preparing for more volatility — and possibly another tariff escalation — in the months ahead.

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