The Consumer Technology Association, producer of CES 2025, took a brief moment to lament the possibility of Trump-backed tariffs on electronics during a brief preview of the event in Las Vegas on Sunday.
CTA futurist Brian Comisky, senior director of innovation and trends, noted tariffs on technology in the US could lead to a $90 billion annual decline in spending power by Americans toward laptops, smartphones and many other products.
The CTA with Trade Partnership Worldwide in October released a finding that tariff costs by the US government would be passed to consumers through price increases. “Buyers of laptops, tablets and smartphones would feel the greatest impact,” the report said. An average laptop price would increase $357 while an average smartphone would increase by $213.
Comisky did not dwell on the tariff discussion across a 45-minute presentation that mentioned the value of the Gen Z generation in the purchase of electronics.
He projected US industry retail revenue from technology in 2025 will reach $537 billion, up from $520 billion in 2024 and $508 billion in 2023.
Hardware will rise 2.6% in the coming year, while softwarwe and services will rise 4.6%, CTA said.