The technological giant Apple chartered load flights to transport 600 tons of iPhones, or up to 1.5 million units, to the United States from Indiaafter increasing production there in an effort to dodge the president’s tariffs Donald Trumpsources told Reuters.
The details provide a vision of the private strategy of the US smartphone company to adapt to Trump tariffs and accumulate inventory of Its popular iPhones in the United Statesone of its largest markets.
Analysts have warned that American prices of iPhones could shootgiven Apple’s high dependence on imports of Chinathe main manufacturing center of the devices, which is subject to the highest tariff rate of Trump, of 125%.
Apple sent 1.5 million iPhone via India to avoid Donald Trump tariffs
This figure far exceeds the 26% tariff to imports from India, but that is now suspended after Trump convened a 90 -day break that excludes China this week. Apple “wanted to dodge the tariff,” said one of the familiar sources with planning.
The company pressed to the Indian airport authorities to reduce the time necessary to pass customs at the Chennai airport, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, in front of 30 hours, the source added.
The so -called “Green Corridor” of the Airport of the Indian Production Center emulates the model that Apple uses in some China airports, according to the source.
About six cargo planes with a capacity of 100 tons each have flown since March, one of them this week, just when the new tariffs entered into force, they said the source and a representative of the Indian government.
The weight of an iPhone 14 and its load cable is about 350 grams, according to Reuters measurements, which implies that the total cargo of 600 tons includes around 1.5 million iPhones, once the weight of the packaging is accounted for.
Apple and the Indian Aviation Ministry did not respond to the request for comments. All sources requested anonymity because the strategy and conversations were private.
Apple sells more than 220 million iPhones a year worldwideand Counterpoint Research estimates that a fifth of the total imports from iPhone to the United States now come from India, and the rest of China.
Trump systematically increased US tariffs to China, until they were placed on Wednesday in 125%, compared to the previous 54%.
With the 54%tariff rate, the cost of $ 1,599 of the iPhone 16 Pro Max high -end in the United States would have triggered up to 2,300 dollars, according to calculations based on projections of Rosenblatt Securities.
Source: Ambito
