Apple Prepares Strategy To Face New Export Tariffs From The US, Including Stock Of Goods And Supply Chain Diversification

JAKARTA - Apple is preparing to face heavy pressure after the administration of US President Donald Trump announced plans for a massive import rate that could shake the global economy.

The latest report from Bloomberg, written by well-known technology journalist Mark Gurman, reveals that the Cupertino-based company is preparing a number of strategic steps to "strengthen the impact" of the tariff policy, especially as Apple's entire supply chain relies on manufacturing abroad.

Apple shares fell nearly 10% after the announcement of tariffs that will take effect on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The reason is, the new tariff covers 54% of tariffs for products from China, 26% for India, and 46% for Vietnam, all of which are major countries in Apple's production ecosystem. On the other hand, several countries such as Vietnam and India are said to be negotiating to reach trade agreements to avoid high tariffs.

Apple hasn't raised the base price of a high-end iPhone since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017. The price has remained at $999 over the years. However, the pressure from the new rates makes Apple have almost no choice but to make price adjustments or sacrifice profit margins.

According to Gurman, here are some options that Apple is considering:

Push suppliers and manufacturing partners to provide cheaper component prices to lower production costs.

Apple is willing to cover some of the additional costs itself, given Apple's average profit margin is still around 45%.

Making price adjustments in the short term while waiting for a clearer situation.

Continue efforts to diversify supply chains, although it is almost certain that production will not be moved to the United States.

One of the concrete steps that Apple has taken is to stockpile products early. The company has imported many products in recent months before the tariff is in place, so it can keep selling them in the US market without being charged a new rate. With this strategy, Apple could delay price increases until the launch of its next-generation iPhone in September.

However, this strategy also carries risks. If Apple decides to increase the price of the iPhone along with the launch of new products, the public spotlight could shift from new technology to the issue of rising prices something Apple usually avoids in its marketing strategy.

Even so, Apple is also not completely afraid of raising prices. In the long term, the company seems ready to adapt. In addition, CEO Tim Cook is also said to be re-lobbied the government for tariff exemptions, as he did during Trump's first term.

Comments from the tech community, as conveyed by the bcom77 account, assessed that this tariff policy could actually backfire on the government's goals. Instead of bringing manufacturing back to the US, this big tariff actually encourages big companies like Apple to further shift production to other countries that are more economically and politically stable.

With these strategic steps, Apple hopes to maintain its product prices and maintain business stability amid the global economic turmoil caused by aggressive tariff policies.