Apple avoids biggest crisis since covid with temporary tariff concession

White House policies are likely to shift again, and Apple may need to pursue more dramatic changes. At least for now, though, management is breathing a sigh of relief

Apple, these days, sells about 220m to 230m iPhones annually — with about a third of those going to the US. Picture: Victor J Blue/Bloomberg

Apple has managed to dodge its biggest crisis since the pandemic — for the moment, at least.

Donald Trump’s 125% tariffs on goods produced in China threatened to upend its supply chain as seriously as the covid snarls did five years ago. On Friday night, the US president handed Apple a major victory, exempting many popular consumer electronics. That includes iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and AirTags.