Should I buy an iPhone now?

This week, Trump announced plans to implement broad tariffs on all imports into the US. The move has caused the stock market to fall free, bringing Apple down more than 10% per week among many companies.

The world is prepared for the full impact of this movement, but here is some simple advice for iPhone buyers.

Trump’s tariffs

On April 5th, a 10% “baseline” tariff will begin all imports into the United States. On April 9th, the tariffs that Trump mislabeled as “mutual” began. This is where things get particularly dark. Imports from China, which make most Apple manufacturers iPhones and Macs, suffer from 54% tariffs. Imports from India, responsible for 10-15% of iPhone assembly, face 27% tariffs. Imports from Vietnam, where Apple manufactures various models of AirPods, iPads and Apple Watch, face 46% tariffs.

If these numbers sound insane, that’s because they are insane. The mathematics behind how Trump’s “economists” calculated numbers is completely pointless. Nevertheless, this is where we find ourselves at this point in history.

The immediate possibility is that existing iPhones will become more expensive in the coming weeks. I have not seen a world where Apple is willing to eat these tariff costs. The economist agrees. The biggest unknown at this point is how much inventory Apple has in the US. Tim Cook is known for his professional supply chain management skills, so don’t forget that Apple imports products into the US at a much faster rate than usual in preparation for these tariffs.

This could delay the impact of tariffs on some Apple products, but the grace period is only temporary. For this reason, if you need an iPhone now or think you can do it right away, buy it now. I’m waiting every day, so I’m gambling that my iPhone suddenly doesn’t cost hundreds more in one night.

I’ll talk Barge“If you’re looking at a laptop assembled in China and wondering if you’re going to buy it now or wait until autumn, you’ll buy it now,” said Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University.

How about the iPhone 17?

Apple may announce the iPhone 17 lineup in September. It has been rumoured to be the biggest update in the iPhone lineup over the years, including new design languages, better performance, and camera upgrades. There is also the rumored iPhone 17 Air. This is Apple’s thinnest iPhone, and only 5.5mm at the thinnest point.

Generally, I advise people to buy when they need an iPhone, no matter what time it is. For those who need a new iPhone but are wobbling on the edge of increasing flexibility, I will tell you to try out a new iPhone for the year when you reach the June-July time slot.

This year, my advice is beginning to change. If you think you’ll always need a new iPhone within the next six months, now is the time to buy it. Certainly, you might miss the bells and whistles of the new iPhone 17 that will be coming this fall, but you’ll pay far less than anyone who will buy an iPhone in a few weeks.

summary

If I were a bettor, I think I would announce the price rise a few days before it comes into effect with the hope that Apple would put pressure on Trump to step back, or at least bet it opens up Apple’s exemptions as he did during his first term. It’s a dangerous strategy that could backfire, but we know that Tim Cook is historically the best at manipulating Trump.

But based on what we know now, here is what we expect:

1. iPhones for sale today (iPhone 15, iPhone 16) will become more expensive than they would later be.
2. The iPhone 17 lineup coming later this fall will be even more expensive. Waiting for the iPhone 17 may cost more than just a new feature.

This advice has been extended to Macs, iPads, Apple Watches and AirPods. Realistically, this advice applies to any product that any company offers, but here we focus on Apple on evertrendzone.

My favourite iPhone accessories:

Follow the chance: Thread, Blueski, Instagram, Mastodon.