Dispensation is first sign of softening of levies against China and provides a big boost for Apple

Archive: https://archive.is/2025.04.12-132331/https://www.ft.com/content/3eb48a07-7cb0-4a44-9159-eb5b402c2fec

The Trump administration has excluded smartphones from its steep “reciprocal” tariffs as it battles to calm global markets by tempering its approach to the multifront trade war launched by the president.

According to a notice posted late on Friday night by Customs and Border Patrol, which is responsible for collecting tariffs, smartphones, along with routers and selected computers and laptops, would be exempt from reciprocal tariffs, which include the 125 per cent levies Donald Trump has imposed on Chinese imports.