If the question is “how tariffs are going to affect the price of mobiles”, none of the answers is optimistic

If you are wondering if the phones are going to rise in price in this scenario of Tariff warthe most honest answer in a “we don’t know.” But the most predictable “is practically impossible not to do so.” Apple and Samsung, two of the main names in the middle of this storm, They can completely move the current price photography as we know it.

Although the phones from China can better alleviate the storm, the tariff war will also have an inevitable impact on its strategy. So if you were doubting to renew or non -device waiting for this conflict to be resolved, doing so is no longer a bad idea.

The Apple case. Apple is, by far, The most affected manufacturer of this commercial war. Trump is convinced that it is possible to achieve 100% national manufacturing, but this is nothing more than a utopia. Apple has been with a strong agency for China for years to manufacture its devices, although trying to Diversify production chain betting on countries like India or Vietnam.

Despite this, 80% of the iPhone continue to manufacture in China, a figure that will simply inevitable that Apple does not raise prices if you want to remain profitable. In a 54% tariff scenario, it was already raised as unassumable to absorb part of them to minimize the rise. With a 104% Apple tariff you need to move a file in another direction: get the manufacture of China.

The Samsung case. Samsung is the most affected Asian firm by the commercial war, although the having moved the production chain mainly to Vietnam It will help you partially alleviate the situation. But there is no miracle: Samsung no longer manufactures in China, but Vietnam is also in the sight of Tru

The company has been betting on this territory for almost 20 years, having minimized its dependence with China. However, the Vietnam tariff is 46%, the third highest after China and Cambodia.

The US case. In the United States the photo is complicated for every national manufacturer that manufactures outside the country, such as Qualcomm. This semiconductor giant delegates to TSMC (Taiwan) the manufacture of its chips.

Inevitable increases. These two cases are the most extreme, drawing a more than possible scenario of global ups. Except Milagro, it seems impossible to assume a 104 and 46% tariff in imported products from China and Vietnam to the United States, a situation that can only be solved by rethinking the product strategy in the rest of the markets.

Moving production chain outside these countries is not profitable either. If Apple, Samsung and the rest of the manufacturers have been focusing on Vietnam or India for years, it is due to the cost of their qualified workforce. Produce outside and keep prices is pure science fiction.

Chinese mobiles. Chinese manufacturers have been with a very clear strategy in the United States for years: not selling mobiles in the United States. Only some names such as OnePlus, TCL or Motorola sound with some force in the country, especially in the case of Motorola (property of the China Lenovo), third manufacturer there.

Saving the Motorola case, with mainly China manufacturing and a little flattering scenario if you want to continue importing products from there, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo or Huawei do not impact this measure so directly. They are manufacturers that have been focused on both their local market and markets outside the United States. With overwhelming success, by the way.

What will the climbs will be. The question we would all want to answer, and the one that will mark a new photograph in the global smartphones market. For years, the price of the iPhone has depended on the strategy in the United States plus the corresponding taxes and fees to be paid by bringing it to other countries.

Apple will have more than complicated to maintain its historical rate of $ 999 for the pro model, a strategy that It would affect the global price. The rise in the United States, however, does not have to move exactly to other markets. The price of the iPhone will have to adapt to the new Apple calculations. Some in which you will need to juggle your margins so as not to cool the demand.

An inevitable situation. The problem, despite the slightest tariff, is identical for Samsung. It faces a global readjustment scenario to alleviate the situation in the United States, where It is currently the second manufacturer.

The situation of the rest of the manufacturers does not seem much better. Although Chinese manufacturers do not sell their mobiles in the United States, there is the presence of televisions, monitors, home products and more technologies. The doubt is whether they will absorb this impact by increasing the price in products of these categories, or if they will bet on a generalized increase, included smartphones (something very sweet, by sales volume of this segment), to square their accounts.

Demand as a key. A basic law of the free market is that there is no price increase without demand. Manufacturers face a more than complex scenario: they need to raise prices to remain profitable, but consumers may not be willing to accept them.

The smartphones market has been facing constant uploadsboth in devices prices and in The components and logistics costs. However, the Consumer tolerance margin It seems to be reaching its limit.

We still do not know what the roof through which buyers are willing. Tariffs aim to bring us the answer.

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