Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod could be on new September Trump tariffs

The new set of Trump administration tariffs on Chinese imports takes effect Sept. 1, and they could include several popular Apple products, including the AirPod earbuds, Apple Watch and HomePod speaker. 

A new set of tariffs that could have also included the iPhone and Apple computers was set to also begin in the fall, but got delayed this week until Dec. 1. 

We reached out to Apple for comment but haven’t heard back yet. 

Some Apple accessories have already been hit with tariffs, but according to the Verge, prices haven’t gone up in response. These products include power adapters, iPhone and iPad cases and covers. 

The new set of Apple products that could get hit with tariffs are higher priced than the accessories. The top of the line Apple Watch starts at $400, while the HomePod starts at $299 and the AirPod is $160.

In a September 2018 letter to the government asking for relief from the tariffs, Apple argued that implementing them “will result in lower U.S. growth and competitiveness and higher prices for U.S. consumers.”

In the letter, Apple noted that it expects to contribute as much as $350 billion to the U.S. economy between 2018 and 2023.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities has said that consumers won’t end up seeing higher prices on existing Apple products due to the tariffs. “Apple will absorb most of the additional costs due to tariffs, and the prices of hardware products and shipment forecasts for the U.S. market will remain unchanged.”

Apple is expected to introduce three new editions of the iPhone in September, with comparable prices to the 2018 models, starting at $749, $999 and $1.