The iPhone Shift

As the tariffs instituted by the US against most of the world came into effect, second-order effects followed for Apple. The company took plane loads of iPhones made in India to the US so that it could stockpile them before the new tariff charges became operational. Meanwhile, expecting prices of iPhones to shoot up, customers flocked to stores to buy them. Their apprehensions are legitimate. By one estimate, iPhones could cost 43 per cent more. And if the iPhones were to be made entirely in the US, another estimate making the rounds was three times more expensive than at present. India, oddly, might end up benefiting even though it comes under a 26 per cent tariff increase. Apple might shift part of its manufacturing here from China  because it has a 104 per cent tariff on it. Even Vietnam, where too Apple  manufactures, has substantially more tariffs than India.  The company had plans to do 25 per cent of its phone assembly in India by 2025. That number could end up being much more given the impact of the tariffs on its supply chain. Apple does intend to expand its manufacturing in the US but that will take years.

Delayed Update

Usually, Samsung does not delay rolling out its latest software updates to older phone models. But One UI 7.0, which came with its flagship S25 in January, was a departure. Even months later, it remained there. But now Samsung has announced that it is being made available to its other Galaxy smartphones. It is a major update with many new features that users have been waiting for.

Friendly Again

Facebook is trying to get some of its focus on friendship back. The platform is creating a new tab for accounts to allow for more engagement with friends. In a blog on its website, the company wrote, “The Friends tab on Facebook will now show content just from your Facebook friends, no recommended content. This is the first of several experiences coming this year that will bring back the joy of what we first created on Facebook.”

Ebook Recapping

Amazon has come out with an AI feature that book lovers will appreciate. It is for its Kindle e-reader devices and called Recaps. If you are returning to a book after a long time, Recaps will provide an outline of the plot to help the reader remember. It is currently only available on its US devices but will later become available elsewhere.

AmazonAppleartificial intelligenceDonald TrumpFacebooksiPhoneSamsungTech talktechnologytrade tariff