Thunderbolt in Indonesia, the government banned the sale of iPhone 16 and other brand products launched this fall, such as the Apple Watch Series 10. This decision was taken after Apple did not respect certain of its investment commitments in the country, according to a report from NewsX.com. Worse, this ban extends to iPhone 16s already sold, thus affecting locals and tourists.
A firm ban
Indeed, the Minister of Industry, Gumiwang Kartasasmita, who announced the sanction, clarified that any iPhone 16 found in service in Indonesia is considered illegal.
If an iPhone 16 works in Indonesia, it means the device is illegal. Please let us know.
This measure aims to push Apple to meet its investment commitments, initially set at $109 million (1.71 trillion rupees). To date, Apple has only invested $95 million (Rs. 1.48 trillion), leaving a delta of $14 million. We could say that this is a “small” amount, but Indonesia does not seem ready to make the concessions that countries like France make quite easily.
This failure prevented the Ministry of Industry from issuing the IMEI certifications necessary to authorize the legal sale of iPhone 16s in the country. Minister Kartasasmita emphasized that Indonesia will not issue a permit for the iPhone 16 until Apple fulfills its commitments. Those who have already purchased this model or an Apple Watch 10 with cellular option can no longer use them in the country.
A clear blackmail
These investments were part of Apple’s obligations to meet the 40% local content requirement imposed on foreign companies operating in Indonesia, similar to what India requires, for example. Apple had promised to establish research and development centers in the country, called “Apple academies”, to meet this requirement.
The announcement contrasts with Apple CEO Tim Cook’s visit to Jakarta in April, during which he discussed potential local manufacturing opportunities with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Apple must invest more if it wants to continue selling its products in this market of nearly 280 million people.
