Following a slightly silly engraving error, OnePlus had to postpone the launch of its new Watch 3 smartwatch until April. The manufacturer has definitely been unlucky, as this release comes after the incredible saga of Donald Trump's customs tariffs.
New victim in Trump's trade war
To the great relief of the global economy, the American president suspended part of his import taxes on Wednesday, except for China. Everything coming from China will cost much more, since customs duties are now set at a total of 145%. And there's no guarantee that it won't go up tomorrow, depending on the mood of the White House boss.
This is a serious problem for Chinese manufacturers and their distributors who want to sell in the United States, as well as for consumers. The first consequences are already being felt: the OnePlus Watch 3 is now sold for $499 (excluding VAT), instead of the original $329! The manufacturer has increased the price by 50%, which seems almost a gift compared to the crazy level of customs taxes. In France, the watch is offered at 349 euros (or $390 including tax).
At this price, the Watch 3 loses a lot of its quality/price ratio compared to a model from Samsung, Google, or even an Apple Watch. And OnePlus won't be able to say its watches come from another country. The engraving error that caused the launch delay was precisely a misspelling of "Made in China" on the back of the case...
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