Samsung Electronics will manufacture three-layer stacked image sensors for Apple’s iPhone 18 at its Austin, Texas, plant, using a chipmaking technology described as a global first. The deal fits with Apple’s pledge to invest $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing.
Apple says the Texas-made sensors will improve both power efficiency and performance across iPhones sold worldwide. The move also allows Apple to sidestep Trump’s proposed 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, thanks to its significant U.S. investments.
Trump’s tariff plan is meant to penalize foreign chip imports while rewarding companies that produce domestically. He announced the 100% levy but made exemptions for those building or committing to build in the U.S., which includes Apple. The news has already boosted tech stocks, with Apple, Samsung, TSMC, and others seeing gains.
Some critics warn the tariffs could raise consumer prices and cause global supply chain issues. Still, analysts believe the policy may be pushing companies like Apple to expand U.S. manufacturing, cutting reliance on Asia and aligning with Trump’s industrial strategy.
Apple’s exemption shows how well-placed U.S. investments can lead to tariff relief. Even if it could avoid tariffs without making sensors in the U.S., producing them locally strengthens its domestic presence, hedges against future trade risks, and builds political goodwill.
Making the sensors in Texas could also mean shorter supply chains, closer links to innovation hubs, and greater resilience to policy changes. Apple’s decision may be as much about long-term stability as it is about avoiding immediate tariffs.
Overall, the Samsung-Apple sensor deal and Apple’s Texas investments highlight how tariffs and U.S. industrial policy are influencing global tech manufacturing, potentially drawing more production back to American soil for reasons that go beyond cost.
