Smartphone shipments to the US surged 30 per cent in March as manufacturers Apple, Samsung Electronics and Motorola rushed to bring more devices into the country in anticipation of steep import tariffs, Counterpoint Research said on Wednesday.
Apple alone airlifted a record US$2 billion worth of iPhones from India in March, leveraging Indian suppliers Foxconn and Tata Electronics, to meet the demand surge, Reuters reported last month.
The surge in shipments reflects companies’ efforts to sidestep hefty tariffs that could erode profits or dampen the demand for smartphones if the levies drove up prices.
Separately, the growing reliance on India and Vietnam highlights manufacturers’ strategic shift to diversify supply chains away from China to reduce geopolitical risks and capitalise on the emerging production hubs.
As Apple increased its production in India in March, shipments from the country rose significantly. The iPhone maker said most of its smartphones sold in the US would originate from India in the June quarter.
