The tariff and commerce struggle between the U.S. and China has claimed certainly one of its first victims, albeit an unlikely one. In response to the Might 2 deadline, Retroid moved up the timeline for transport the brand new Pocket Flip 2 and Pocket Basic. Preorders for the Flip 2 started transport earlier this week, with Retroid ramping up shipments for the Pocket Basic simply yesterday.
Even with the Hongkong Put up halting any shipments from China to the U.S., we assumed “no information was excellent news.” It seems that is not the case, as an announcement was made on X (and the Retroid Discord) that the Kiwi, Teal, and Berry colours is not going to arrive in time to be shipped. The announcement additionally explains that “All transport companies is not going to settle for US-bound packages from China, beginning 4/25/25.”
Replace on RP Basic transport to US clients: pic.twitter.com/nHCnnpq5OOApril 17, 2025
I wasn’t personally conscious of the 4/25 cutoff date for shipments between the 2 international locations. Nonetheless, it does not come as a lot of a shock given the hostile nature of the scenario. However, this does not bode effectively for anybody, not simply those that preordered the Retroid Pocket Basic. For now, the one recourse we have now is to contact Retroid and request a special shade, however who is aware of how lengthy it will likely be earlier than these provides dry up.
If something, it is a signal of issues to come back, that means that even in the event you have been keen to pay the tariff charges for a product, that call has been taken out of your arms solely. As an alternative, the package deal will both not be accepted in any respect or shall be returned to the sender if it manages to slide by means of the cracks.
Certain, it is only a gaming handheld, which is confined to a distinct segment anyway. However the greater query weighing on my thoughts now could be how this can have an effect on 2025 smartphone launches. Virtually each telephone passes by means of China in some unspecified time in the future, even when it is only for the manufacturing of sure elements earlier than going to a manufacturing facility in Vietnam, India, or elsewhere to be included within the meeting.
At the moment, it does not seem that different international locations are affected, indicating a very good likelihood that this may not impression upcoming machine releases. That will not be the case throughout the board, so it is attainable that some units are delayed or maybe even outright canceled. And in the event you do not assume telephone makers are involved about what may very well be on the horizon, look no additional than Apple.
Not too long ago, a report surfaced claiming that Apple has flown “not less than 10 flights carrying iPhones and different merchandise” from China, in an effort to keep away from the tariff wars. Based on The Wall Avenue Journal, there are “throngs of U.S. shoppers who’ve rushed to purchase new iPhones over the previous week, anticipating that new tariffs will immediate Apple to lift costs.”
One other report suggests that Apple is relocating the manufacturing of the iPhone 16e to Brazil, a rustic not affected by the tariff disputes between the U.S. and China. Whereas we have not seen comparable studies about units from Samsung or Google, we additionally would not be shocked in the event that they begin to seem within the coming weeks.
Shortly after Apple loaded up ten planes of merchandise, the Trump Administration introduced that “smartphones and different electronics elements shall be exempt” from the tariffs. All of this got here after firms like Razer and Framework halted shipments of sure units to the U.S. In the meantime, different firms, resembling Lenovo with the forthcoming Legion Go S, and OnePlus with the Watch 3, raised costs in an try to “get forward” of the storm.
In the meantime, the vast majority of Android gaming handhelds are fully designed and manufactured in China. And upon launch, it is a DHL or 4PX cargo which may get transferred to USPS earlier than touchdown in your doorstep. And whereas Retroid is the one being at present affected, there are different gaming handhelds from the likes of AYANEO and OneXSugar which are anticipated to be launched within the close to future.
On condition that transport companies will apparently now not be accepting packages, it might spell catastrophe for a few of these firms. Alternatively, it might imply that your package deal must make a cease in a special nation earlier than it may be delivered to your entrance door. The logistics of that concept alone are sufficient to provide me the heebie-jeebies, so I do not even need to think about what it could truly be like.
The craziest half about all the scenario is not the back-and-forth between the U.S. and China. It is simply how fluid every part is, and that by this time tomorrow, one other irritating layer is peeled again. Hell, it might simply all be gone, and we return to the best way issues have been earlier than January. Sadly, I do not assume that is going to be within the playing cards.