Price of new mobile could rise sharply due to US trade war
Is your phone in need of replacement? The trade war launched by the US could increase its price significantly. Is this the time for a new mobile? Or is it better to wait?
Last weekend, Reuters headlined that the price of a new iPhone might go to $2300. That converts to $2100, or in other words, a price increase of a whopping 43%! This is a direct result of tariffs that the U.S. imposed on virtually the entire world on April 2, 2025. Apple shares went down solidly, as did virtually all stocks and indices.

The tariffs mean that manufacturers like Apple have to pay extra money for parts coming from abroad when they are imported. The world is holding its breath whether or not manufacturers will pass that price increase on to consumers.
Bill it on to consumers or take it for their own account?
As Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman predicts, they don't have to. Apple would shoulder some of the pain. After all, margins are high enough. Apple could also force price cuts from suppliers. This would also be the right time to offer new iPhones for a flat monthly fee on a subscription basis. Perhaps the ultimate answer is a combination of all these options.
Goat trail
And that still leaves the option of a goat trail, although that does not benefit American consumers. Apple could leave out the U.S. for the rest of the world. Only when products or parts cross the U.S. border do the tariffs apply.
Higher inflation
Yet even the rest of the world will not escape the whims of the current U.S. administration. Global inflation will rise because of the trade war, and that will eventually affect consumers here as well. So the price of cell phones is only expected to increase in the coming time. The global market is so intertwined that if you start pulling somewhere, something will fall over on the other side.
So is this the right time to buy a new mobile? Looking at the past, yes, but you have to be able to spare the money to do so. Should we end up in a global recession because of all this, you may need the money for very different things. So make the decision for yourself.