Apple has officially announced that it will release the iPhone 16 lineup in Indonesia on April 11 after being banned in the region for several months. Indonesia has lifted the ban following Apple's more than $300 million investment plan. The company's announcement also indicates that the iPhone 16 lineup has passed the region’s telecommunications equipment certification.
Indonesian government lifts iPhone 16 ban following Apple's investments
If you have not been following the news, Indonesian authorities banned the iPhone 16 lineup in the region after Apple failed to deliver on its promises. The government blocked sales of the iPhone 16 lineup in October of last year, stating that the company did not meet the country's domestic content requirement for smartphones. Previously, the iPhone 16 lineup also received the local component content certification from the Ministry of Industry with a standard rate of 40 percent, which exceeds the current base requirement of 35 percent.
Apple’s iPhone 16 series will be available in Indonesia from April 11, it said on Wednesday, after Jakarta lifted a ban on its sale following the company’s more than $300 million investment plan.
Apart from this, Apple has also committed to training local talent in the region in research and development, allowing locals to develop their own products and services. This was an integral demand from the Indonesian government, and the company has finally agreed to establish research and development facilities in the region.
The company will also expand its manufacturing facilities in the country, but it will start small, as it will only produce AirTags. The accessory will be part of the company’s plans for a manufacturing plant on Batam Island, which will be operated by Luxshare Precision Industry. Indonesia’s AirTag production will account for 20 percent of the global share. There are also plans for another manufacturing facility in Bandung, which will produce additional accessories.
Apple’s investments in the region will also include funding academies for students to learn tech skills as well as coding. However, it appears that the company has no plans to begin iPhone production in the region. If the news has weight to it, Apple will be the only company in the region to sell the phones without any manufacturing facility.
Apple has been battling with Indonesian authorities for months and has potentially incurred losses of millions of dollars. With a population of around 280 million, a ban on the iPhone 16 was not the right move for Apple. What are your thoughts on the fiasco that went back and forth between Apple and the Indonesian government?
