The consequences of these tariffs will last long after Trump is removed from office. Like someone already mentioned, China usually retaliates with tariffs of their own and then they're able to find substitutes (a la soybeans) so even if the tariffs go away someday, the market for things such as soybeans may take a long time to recover to pre-tariff conditions. Will companies like Apple be able to find suitable (perhaps short term) labor? Probably. Once the tariffs disappear after a new administration comes in Apple will just go back to cheap Chinese labor and the US will be the one that loses out.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Trump Suggests Tariffs Could Be Placed on iPhones and Laptops Imported From China
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
don't want to pay tariffs? make them in the U.S.............
if that is the case, wouldn't building the iPhones in America be cheaper? I though I saw some articles few years ago saying that the iPhone would only cost like 5% more if build in the USA?
If 10% is NBD, I propose we add a 10% VAT on all our products to pay for school and infrastructure.
[doublepost=1543273346][/doublepost]
No way this is true.
Also, it's not just cost. Only in China can you call upon tens of thousands of workers in a days notice. You can not possibly do this in America.
[doublepost=1543273346][/doublepost]
No way this is true.
Also, it's not just cost. Only in China can you call upon tens of thousands of workers in a days notice. You can not possibly do this in America.
Like the way Apple prices have been for the non-USA part of the world for the past 30+ years you mean? Imagine that!
Last edited:
I'd prefer to pay more if it meant that the workers were being paid a fair and livable wage and working in good conditions, regardless if they're Chinese or if they're American.
No, that’s not why GM is closing the factories. Those factories make small cars and electric cars that Americans no longer want to buy. Obama made GM build cars that Americans don’t want to buy in order to achieve a ridiculous fuel economy goal.
China relays on workers only because they are cheaper than machines. Who says that US would need thousands of workers to make iPhones? We are better than that. If this country got their **** together, I could see them being far less dependent on manual labor that China and other provides.
Well, that’s what GM’s CEO blamed it on. Why should she build cars that no one wants to buy?
Remember her company also took government handouts 9 years ago. One of the requirements was to develop and build those same small cars like the Cruze that attract few buyers outside of car rental companies.
I agree with most of what you said except this pro-American, America-is-better-than-everyone-else stance on education. That's exactly the flawed mindset that created Trump. America would be better off *recognizing* that they are just *one* of *many* countries filled with talented individuals, and play more nicely with the world as a whole.
Apple could stand to lower their prices by 10% ...”and people could stand that very easily”
How can you "get" what he's trying to do when he himself doesn't get what he's trying to do? His only intent is to sound macho to his ("I love the poorly educated") base. Other than that, he doesn't know (or care to know) any better.
You are not wrong. The first Macs in the early '80s were actually built by Macs managing the assembly line. It was ahead of its time. I can't find the article anymore, but I do recall reading about this very important advantage that Apple had over their competitors. And assembly was done in the US at the time, too.
Personally I'm surprised that the Republican party is prepared to get behind tariffs, unless it is in response to pre-existing tariffs place on imports from the US by other countries.
Protecting the workers from international market forces is quite a socialist policy. Just look at French farmers for example.
Tariffs are probably the wrong weapon, but we do have problems with trade with China. For starters they steal intellectual property from Western companies, and provide massive subsidies that make it difficult for other companies to compete on a level footing.
It will be interesting to see what he does, as a stock holder I am already taking a beating. Tariffs are levied on the cost of the item that is imported. How is Apple going to determine that, certainly not the retail price. In the past, my watch was shipped directly from China, are they going to taxed differently than watches sent to Apple for their retail stores? Parts are made in several countries, just not China, how is going handle that? Lot of problems.
Who knows.... Apple may have raised prices as a buffer for this very possibility, and consumer prices won't change even if these tariffs do get added. Let's hope.
Here is how it’s going to work. A recession will hit. They always do. When it does...he’ll blame Democrats. Had he kept the house, he would have said Democrats didn’t come to the table.
Tariffs are applied to new imports based on the declared value, which differs from the final retail selling price. Apple will likely bear the cost at first, if they think it will be imposed for only a short time.
I'm not saying it wasn't a factor, but GM's CEO specifically pointed to the tariffs for hurting the company.
And I see people praising Trump for creating manufacturing jobs, but it's been steadily increasing since 2010, according to Fox's own research-
https://twitter.com/FoxNewsResearch/status/1020655632905469957
You can put all the tariff you want, just make education and health system free. Educated and healthy people can resolve their own. If they are ignorants and/or sick, you can not do a thing with either.
This is either ignorance or naïvety. Trump is trying to punish China for their business practices that blantantly take advantages of American companies. I don’t agree with these tariffs because I don’t think they will correct the problem but I get why he is doing it.
Yet we have a record number of employed Americans and low unemployment. Just keep focusing on the things you don't like. Congrats though on covering all the predictable points... heck, u even got Russia in there. Good job!