Apple is feeling the heat in China, a crucial market for its sales and manufacturing operations. With Donald Trump set to assume the presidency soon and his threats of imposing a steep 60% tariff on Chinese goods looming, the tech giant is on edge. Reports indicate that Apple heavily relies on China for the production of 95% of its iPhones, AirPods, Macs, and iPads. If Trump follows through on his tariff proposal, Apple could find itself grappling with retaliatory tariffs that could impact its business in the region.
In addition to the challenges in China, Apple is also facing legal battles that are expected to extend well into the year 2025. A federal judge overseeing an antitrust lawsuit filed against the company by the US Department of Justice is aiming to make a decision on whether the case will proceed to trial by January. According to Bloomberg, Apple has yet to provide a response to Business Insider’s request for comment on the matter.
Despite these hurdles, Apple has seen a busy year in 2024 marked by the launch of new iPhone models and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its products. Looking ahead, there are rumors circulating about potential tech releases in 2025, including smart home devices and a more budget-friendly iPhone. Bloomberg has suggested that a revamped version of the iPhone SE, incorporating Apple Intelligence features, may hit the market in 2025, offering consumers a more affordable alternative to the premium iPhone 16.
Furthermore, reports from November reveal that Apple is working on a wall-mounted smart home tablet that could leverage Apple Intelligence to control household appliances and access Apple applications. The anticipated unveiling of this product is speculated to take place as early as March.
With high expectations for the year ahead, Apple has strategically aligned itself by collaborating with OpenAI and enhancing its AI capabilities on iPhones. Despite these advancements, industry analysts caution that the true impact of Apple’s investments in 2024 is yet to be fully realized.
As the company navigates through 2025, it will be crucial for Apple to carefully time the release and pricing of new products and features to align with consumer demand, rather than mere technological prowess, as highlighted by EMARKETER’s Bourne.
