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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Technology
Johana Bhuiyan

Why you can’t just repair your phone in the US to avoid Trump tariffs

closeup of a pair of hands repairing a smartphone
Donald Trump’s tariffs are likely to drive up the cost of smartphone repairs because of the globalized supply chain that produces the devices’ components. Photograph: Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images

Tariffs that took effect in the US at midnight on Wednesday are expected to make buying new smartphones more expensive. But opting to fix an old or damaged device as a way to save money may not avoid a higher bill.

“We do expect that we’ll have to increase our own parts prices some, too, unfortunately,” said Elizabeth Chamberlain, the director of sustainability at the device repair company iFixit. “We’re actively looking for sources of harvested parts from within the US. Even with higher prices on parts, however, repairs will still be much more economical than buying new.”

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