Recent reports indicate that Americans are hurrying to purchase new iPhones before a new tariff takes effect. Then, two photos, which were widely shared on social media, claimed to show American customers eager to buy these devices in recent weeks. These images attracted significant attention online, leading to extensive discussions and interactions among users. However, Fact Crescendo has determined that the claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
A photo showing a large crowd waiting in front of an Apple store has circulated widely on social media platforms, supposedly claiming that it depicts a significant number of American customers rushing to buy Apple’s iPhones before the new tariff imposed by the Donald Trump Administration took effect.
Below is a screenshot of a Facebook post from April 8, 2025, featuring a photo with the caption: “No, this isn’t the stock market floor—it’s Americans panic-buying iPhones ahead of a likely price jump caused by Trump’s tariffs. […]”
Another photo showing a large crowd outside an Apple store has been widely circulated and shared on social media platforms, claiming it depicts a long queue of American customers eager to buy iPhones before the new tariff imposed by President Donald Trump takes effect.
Below is a screenshot of another Facebook post from April 8, 2025, featuring a photo of a large crowd, with the caption reading: “Apple staff reports rush of customers panic-buying over the weekend. Apple U.S. stores seeing sale bump due to pre-tariff shopping.”
The photo has been shared across social media platforms including X, Instagram, and Threads, Meta’s newly formed social media platform.
Below is a screenshot of an X tween on April 9, 2025, featuring the photo with the caption: “Americans are storming Apple stores to buy iPhones before the tariffs are imposed – huge lines have formed outside the stores. […]”
Below is a screenshot of a Threads post on April 9, 2025, featuring the photo and the caption: “Apple customers are flocking to stores to buy iPhones before taxes come into effect.”
The same photo with similar claims has been circulated on social media in other languages, including Russian and Vietnamese.
On April 8, 2025, a Facebook post featured a photo with a caption in Russian, translated as “American people are panicking and storming Apple stores to buy iPhones before the tariff.”
A Facebook post on April 11, 2025, features the photo of a large crowd with the caption in Vietnamese saying that this photo is of American residents rushing to buy Apple before the tariff takes effect. How are you, Vietnam?
As it is going viral on social media platforms, the photo with similar claims can be seen through various links here: Link 1 (archived), Link 2 (archived), Link 3 (archived), Link 4 (archived), Link 5 (archived), Link 6 (archived), and Link 7 (archived).
The photo and its claims gained significant traction on social media, resulting in numerous shares, comments, and reactions from users.
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo investigated this claim using Google Reverse Image Search and keyword searches to uncover the following facts.
Using Google Reverse Image Search, the source of the photo and its details were identified, revealing that the image is unrelated to recent events in the United States involving Apple’s iPhones.
The first photo showing many customers inside an Apple store dates back over seven years, according to the photo caption published on the Getty Images website.
The photo caption says the image depicts many customers purchasing new iPhone series at the Apple store in Midtown Manhattan in New York City in September 2018, when Apple officially released the iPhone models XS and XS Max, as well as the smartwatch.
The image showing a large crowd gathered in front of an Apple store is not recent. It depicts customers lining up in front of an Apple store in Munich, Germany, over 13 years ago. They were waiting for the official launch of a new iPad series in the city, as stated in the photo caption published by a media outlet in Luxembourg.
Luxemburger Wort | Archived Link
According to media reports from two weeks ago, customers in the United States rushed to purchase Apple’s iPhones in anticipation of a new tariff introduced by the Trump Administration on goods imported from China.
The U.S. media outlets that reported this news initially are Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, before other publications.
None of them published their reports with the images, which were widely believed to depict American customers rushing to buy new iPhones in recent weeks.
Fact Crescendo reached out to Apple for clarification and comments, yet there was no response from the corporation. Updated information will follow upon the reply from the American tech giant.
The Trump Administration imposed tariffs as high as 145 percent on goods imported from China, according to a Guardian news report on April 11, 2025.
Later, smartphones, computers, and various electronic components were exempted from these tariffs, according to a CNN report published on April 12, 2025.
Apple’s iPhone sales in major markets such as the U.S., Europe, and China fell in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to a Reuters report, saying this was due to the escalation of the tariff war in global trade.
In response to President Trump’s higher tariffs on Chinese imports, Apple imported up to 1.5 million smartphones from India to the United States to offset the price increase, as reported by Reuters.
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CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo has determined that the claim in question is false. The two photos mentioned above are not recent images of American customers rushing to buy new iPhones before the new tariff takes effect. The first photo depicts American customers purchasing the iPhone XS and XS Max after their official launch in September 2018. In contrast, the second image shows a large crowd lining up in front of an Apple store in Munich, Germany, during the official launch of the new iPad series over 13 years ago.
Title:Old Images Falsely Claimed as Americans Panic Buying New iPhone Ahead of New Tariff
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: False
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