Supply Chain Research

U.S. mobile phone imports increased 4% in November, with the three month total falling 0.3% on a year earlier. That compares to 6% growth in the third quarter and comes ahead of Apple and Samsung’s forthcoming fourth quarter results. Imports from Vietnam and South Korea – a proxy for Samsung’s shipments – increased 19% over the past three months. Imports from China fell 1% on a year earlier in unit terms, but increased 20% in value terms in November. That would suggest a rush of higher-end smartphone shipments to beat import tariffs under the new U.S. administration. They could equate to...