Did Apple Really Fly 5 Planes of iPhones from India to the U.S.? What Even the New York Post Won’t Tell You
- Sunil Dutt Jha
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 24
It started with a headline. Apple beats new U.S. tariffs by airlifting iPhones from India.
The media called it brilliant—Apple acting fast, India proving its manufacturing muscle, and U.S. customers spared a price hike. A perfect story. Efficient. Tactical. Clean.
But here’s the thing:
Apple didn’t move five planes to feed demand. It moved five planes to feed a narrative.
Behind this 72-hour airlift lies a deeper corporate vulnerability—one that exposes more than it saves. This isn’t just about iPhones. It’s about how even the world’s most admired companies scramble when the system falters.
Let’s unpack the real story.
It sounded like another Apple masterstroke—swiftly dodging tariffs by flying in iPhones from India.
The headlines were polished, the story tight. But beneath the surface of this 72-hour maneuver lies a deeper, more uncomfortable truth: this wasn’t a strategic win.
It was a panic response. This is the real anatomy behind Apple’s airlift.
1: THE HEADLINE
Late March 2025. News breaks that Apple airlifted five planes loaded with iPhones from India and China to the U.S. over just three days.
Why? To beat a new 10% import tariff coming into effect on April 5.
The media calls it smart.
Apple saves $509 million.
India steps up as a major supplier.
U.S. consumers avoid price hikes.
A tidy little victory story.Until you look closer.
2: THE CURIOUS MATH
Let’s do the numbers.
ASP (Average Selling Price) of an iPhone: $900
Total tariff avoided: $509 million
That means Apple airlifted around 565,000 iPhones.
But here’s where the math breaks the illusion.
The U.S. market consumes:
~88 million iPhones a year
~7.3 million iPhones per month
So 565,000 units?That’s 2.3 days of sales.
Apple airlifted less than 3 days of inventory. So this wasn't about supply. It was about something else.
3: THE STRATEGY—OR THE SCRAMBLE
Why Wasn’t This Prevented?
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