How Tariffs and Market Pressure Hit Apple Hard
The impact of Trump’s tariffs and Apple’s $773B value dip
Apple, once hailed as the king of innovation, is now facing internal chaos and public skepticism as its long-promised A.I. revolution stumbles. The company’s recent efforts—especially with its virtual reality headset, Vision Pro, and its new artificial intelligence system dubbed “Apple Intelligence”—have failed to impress.
The situation got worse after U.S. tariffs in April reportedly wiped out $773 billion in Apple’s market value within just four days, shaking investor confidence. But insiders say the rot started much earlier, with product delays, infighting among top brass, and underwhelming updates to Apple’s aging iPhone lineup.
Vision Pro sales have disappointed, and the Apple Intelligence suite—highlighted in a grand two-hour presentation—launched late and buggy. Key features like notification summaries were so flawed they had to be pulled shortly after release. Meanwhile, a major update to Siri, Apple’s long-troubled assistant, was postponed after it failed internal testing nearly one-third of the time.
Behind the scenes, leadership issues are boiling over. Executives reportedly fought over who would lead the Siri revamp, and budget cuts limited the A.I. team’s access to crucial computing hardware. Even Tim Cook’s leadership has been called into question for not offering clear direction on product innovation.
To make matters worse, a wave of talent has left Apple in recent years, including legendary designer Jony Ive. What’s left is a mix of old and new leaders who, according to insiders, lack the bold product vision that once defined Apple.
Despite these issues, Apple hasn’t abandoned its A.I. ambitions. A new version of Siri, capable of editing and sharing photos on command, is expected this fall. Insiders claim there’s still time for Apple to reclaim its edge—but with customers now filing lawsuits for false advertising and rivals like Google and Meta gaining ground, the pressure is on.
