Trump again asks Apple to start manufacturing in US
Washington, Sep 9 : After Apple hinted at increasing the price of its products owing to tariffs on China, US President Donald Trump has once again asked the iPhone maker to shift manufacturing from Beijing to Washington.
Apple has written a letter to the Trump administration, saying the proposed $200 billion tariffs on China-made products will make the Apple Watch, AirPods headphones, HomePod smart speaker, Macs and key computer parts more expensive.
"Apple prices may increase because of the massive Tariffs we may be imposing on China - but there is an easy solution where there would be ZERO tax, and indeed a tax incentive," Trump tweeted on Saturday.
"Make your products in the United States instead of China. Start building new plants now. Exciting! MAGA." In January 2017, Trump said he spoke to Apple CEO Tim Cook over the phone and he promised to build "three big plants" in the US.
But Cook never directly responded to that claim.
What Apple actually announced in January was to contribute $350 billion to the US economy over the next five years that includes an estimated $55 billion investment in 2018.
In a letter written to the US Trade Representative on Friday, Apple said some of its popular products will get hit by the 25 per cent increase in import tax as proposed by the Trump administration on Chinese products.
Other products are Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, Apple Pencil, Apple adapters, chargers, cables and cords, Apple main logic boards with microprocessing units, memory modules, video graphic/audio cards and PCBAs, Apple computer parts (e.g., housings and internal components) and printed circuit boards, among others
"Because all tariffs ultimately show up as a tax on US consumers, they will increase the cost of Apple products that our customers have come to rely on in their daily lives," Apple wrote in the letter.
According to a report in The Verge, Apple asked that the US revise its proposal and decline to place tariffs on the product categories that cover these devices.
The company's hardware products have taken it to become a $1 trillion company but those products are built in China which also creates thousands of jobs.
Apple is set to unveil new iPhones and other services on September 12.
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Domestic LPG cylinder costlier by Rs 60, commercial up Rs 115 amid West Asia conflict
New Delhi (PTI): The prices of domestic LPG and commercial cylinders were hiked by a steep Rs 60 and Rs 114.5, respectively, amid rising energy costs linked to the West Asia conflict.
Non-subsidised LPG, the one that common household users other than the Ujjwala beneficiaries use in their kitchens, will now cost Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi as against Rs 853 previously, according to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) website. This is the second increase in prices in less than a year.
Industry officials said the increase follows a steep rise in global energy prices since the breakout of military conflict in West Asia.
Despite the price increase, cooking gas in India is priced at the lowest when compared with neighbouring countries, they said.
The price increase, the website showed, is effective from March 7.
This is the second increase in rates in 11 months. Prices were last hiked by Rs 50 in April last year.
In Mumbai, non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 912.50, Rs 939 in Kolkata and Rs 928.50 in Chennai, according to the IOC website.
Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.
Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries, the over 10 crore poor who have got free LPG connections since the scheme was launched in 2016, will continue to get a subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills in a year.
The price of commercial LPG, the one used by establishments such as hotels and restaurants, was increased by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder. It now costs Rs 1,883 in Delhi. This increase comes on top of the Rs 28 per 19-kg cylinder increase on March 1.
Commercial LPG rates have risen by Rs 302.50 this year.
