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Apple is asking the Trump administration to exclude parts for its Mac Pro desktop from tariffs, as first reported by Bloomberg.
Apple filed a series of exemption requests with the Office of the US Trade Representative (first made public on July 18th), asking that the government exempt a series of specific products from a proposed 25 percent tariff on goods imported from China. The tariffs have not yet been fully implemented, but the plan would include electronics, which could severely affect the bottom line of tech companies like Apple.
The documents don’t directly mention the Mac Pro, but Bloomberg notes that the parts described appear to be designed for the desktop computer. The listed parts include a CPU heatsink, a graphics processing module, and a computer frame and enclosure. Apple is also asking for the exclusion of some of its accessories, including the Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2.
The Mac Pro was the last Apple device assembled in the US, but in June, The Wall Street Journal reported that the company planned to move manufacturing to China. Apple’s request will now enter a public comment period before the agency decides on whether to grant the exclusions.
The Trump administration has used tech imports as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China, a plan that could be costly to major tech companies manufacturing in the country. The administration previously put in place 10 percent tariffs on some product parts, although Apple was ultimately able to avoid tariffs on devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods.
Several companies, including Apple and Microsoft, have already raised concerns with the US Trade Representative about the tariffs. In a filing last month, Apple said new tariffs “would result in a reduction of Apple’s US economic contribution” and “tilt the playing field in favor of our global competitors.”
[“source=theverge”]
