As the trade war between the United States and China intensifies, prominent laptop manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo are allegedly suspending the shipment of new devices to the U.S. for a period of at least two weeks. This news, initially disclosed by Taiwan’s Chinese-language publication Commercial Times, could affect a broad spectrum of consumer electronics, such as laptops, Chromebooks, and tablets.
Mashable has contacted Dell, HP, and Lenovo for their input and will update this article if they respond.
The halt in shipments occurs amidst a larger wave of upheaval in the tech sector, as companies strive to adapt to the swiftly changing environment created by tariffs and trade barriers. Recently, President Donald Trump increased tariffs on Chinese imports to a cumulative rate of 145 percent, leading China to announce a reciprocal tariff increase on U.S. goods to 125 percent, effective this Saturday, as reported by Bloomberg.
These retaliatory tariff hikes are already influencing the consumer electronics market. For instance, Nintendo has postponed pre-orders for its forthcoming Switch 2 console in both the U.S. and Canada. Framework, a laptop producer, has temporarily ceased shipments, while brands such as Anker and Asus have elevated prices for American consumers. Some direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies have even started applying “Trump Tariff Surcharges” to customer bills.
Consumers are also experiencing the effects of economic uncertainty. A recent survey from the University of Michigan indicates that consumer sentiment has dwindled for the fourth month in a row, falling by 11% since March. This drop in confidence spans all political affiliations, impacting Democrats, independents, and Republicans equally.
As the situation continues to unfold, Mashable will keep you informed on the latest news regarding tariffs and their effects on technology, from delayed product releases like the Nintendo Switch 2 to warnings of panic purchasing before possible price increases on devices such as the iPhone 16. Stay tuned for further updates.