NEW YORK — US President Donald Trump’s administration has announced that smartphones, computers, and a range of other electronic devices will be exempt from the sweeping new tariffs targeting global and Chinese imports.

The decision, published late Friday by US Customs and Border Protection, spares key tech products from both Trump’s 10% global import tariff and the sharply increased 125% levy on goods from China.

The move follows mounting pressure from US technology companies over concerns that the tariffs would trigger a spike in consumer prices and disrupt global supply chains.

Also excluded from the tariffs are semiconductors, solar cells, memory cards, and other critical electronic components.

Apple — which accounts for over half of US smartphone sales, according to Counterpoint Research — stands to benefit significantly from the exemption. The firm manufactures as much as 80% of its iPhones for the US market in China, with the remainder assembled in India.

Apple and other major players like Samsung have accelerated efforts in recent years to diversify their manufacturing base, shifting production to countries such as India and Vietnam to reduce dependence on China.

Industry sources indicate that Apple is now working to increase production of India-made devices to offset trade risks.

Earlier this week, Trump announced a sweeping tariff plan that would impose harsh levies on dozens of US trading partners.

However, facing global backlash and market uncertainty, he reversed course on Wednesday and declared a 90-day pause for most countries — except China, whose tariffs were hiked to 145%. The White House justified the move as a strategic negotiation tool.

Trump claimed the tariff hikes are intended to rebalance what he described as a long-standing unfair global trading system, and to encourage companies to return manufacturing jobs to the US.

The exemption of smartphones and computers comes as a relief to the tech industry and consumers alike, as analysts had warned that such tariffs could lead to price hikes on popular gadgets. — Agencies