Anticipated tariffs are speeding up purchasing decisions, revealing a tension between economic caution and the desire to avoid future markups.
Tariffs threaten innovation’s pace: Prolonged trade wars could hike smartphone prices and delay new tech rollouts, making midrange devices a safer, more strategic choice for buyers and brands. Read online
Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs landed harder than expected. Widespread uncertainty remains, given the pause on reciprocal tariffs for countries willing to negotiate with the US—along with an escalating trade war with China. Which markets will take the greatest hits? And how might our US forecasts change?
With iPhone prices poised to spike, Apple’s supply chain edge offers a short reprieve, but panic buying reveals deeper economic fears taking hold
A nearly $1 trillion loss in a day signals market panic. Apple leads the fall, with ripple effects threatening AI growth, ad revenue, and cloud service pricing.
Consumers brace for tariff-related price hikes: Some take preemptive action, with 1 in 10 shoppers making a big-ticket purchase to sidestep rising costs.
Google’s visual intelligence upgrade puts real-time discovery in users’ hands, opening doors for brand integration and premium engagement.
Wearables will surpass 100 million users this year as AI advancements push adoption to nearly 40% of adults, marking a shift from niche tech to mainstream.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what a tariff even is, what might happen when they’re implemented, and how best to prepare for them. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analysts Paul Briggs and Matteo Ceurvels, and Analyst Rachel Wolff.
Best Buy faces stiff headwinds: The consumer electronics giant warned of higher prices due to President Trump’s new tariffs, which will likely crimp demand.
Tariffs could add $12,000 to new car prices, drive up costs for electronics, and inflate grocery bills. Marketers must pivot to value-driven messaging as economic uncertainty reshapes spending.
Figure AI shifts into overdrive: Slashing its original timeline, the startup is pushing humanoid robots into homes this year—either a sign of rapid AI progress or a risky bet to stay ahead.
The improved Alexa finally debuts with better conversation skills and smart home features. Can Amazon convince users to pay when smartphones offer similar features for free?
Acer is raising US laptop prices by 10% due to Trump tariffs, with competitors likely to follow—squeezing both consumer wallets and enterprise tech budgets.
Consumer tech spending expected to reach record $537 billion in 2025—unless tariffs get in the way: The need to replace pandemic-era purchases and interest in AI-powered features will spur demand, assuming prices stay steady.
Retailers brace for headwinds: Companies ranging from Amazon to Whirlpool are preparing for multiple challenges that could pressure consumer spending and their bottom lines.
Retailers have already announced more than 2,000 closures: Macroeconomic headwinds and category-specific challenges are expected to lead to roughly 15,000 store shutdowns this year.
While iPhone and wearables sales slipped, Apple’s services revenues grew 13% YoY to $26.3 billion. Apple Intelligence hasn’t paid off yet, but monetizing Siri could give it a boost.
Amid leadership upheaval and falling stock, it could be an attractive target for Amazon or Spotify, which could benefit from Sonos’ hardware expertise.
Friend delays its AI pendant release and drops chatbot platform, betting on product refinement as it navigates resource constraints.