Apple’s iPhone 16 can now be sold in Indonesia, following an agreement with the Indonesian government. The Industry Ministry announced the lifting of the sales ban, which had been in place for five months due to non-compliance with local regulations.
The ban was imposed because Apple did not meet the requirement that at least 40% of the components in smartphones sold in Indonesia must be locally produced. In December, Apple pledged to invest $1 billion in a factory in Indonesia to manufacture components for its devices.
Previously, Indonesia rejected Apple’s $100 million investment proposal, citing insufficient funding for the authorization of the company’s smartphone sales. Currently, Apple is in the process of obtaining a local content certificate, which will allow it to market its devices in the country.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, visited Indonesia last year, indicating the company’s interest in local manufacturing. The iPhone 16 is also being produced in Brazil, India, and China, while various AirPods models are assembled in Vietnam.
In a related matter, the Indonesian government had previously prohibited the sale of Google Pixel phones due to similar local component issues. According to recent reports, the leading smartphone brands in Indonesia during the third quarter of 2024 include Oppo, Xiaomi, Transsion, Samsung, and Vivo.
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