Apple says Indonesia iPhone sales ban ends in April

JAKARTA: Tech giant Apple announced on Wednesday the iPhone 16 will be available in Indonesia from next month, indicating the sales ban in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy had been lifted.

The government in October prohibited the marketing and sale of the model over the US tech titan’s failure to meet regulation requiring 40 per cent of phones be made from local parts. However, Apple struck a deal with the Indonesian government last month to invest in the country of 280 million after months of deadlock.

“Today, Apple announces that all iPhone 16 series... will be available starting from Friday, April 11,” the company said in a statement. The industry ministry did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

The ministry said this month it had approved local certificates for more than a dozen Apple products. Last week, The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said Apple has also obtained a certificate needed for all telecommunication devices with transmission.

Jakarta rejected a $100 million investment proposal from Apple in November, saying it lacked the “fairness” required by the government. Apple later agreed to invest $150 million in building two facilities -- one in Bandung in West Java province to produce accessories, and another in Batam for AirTags.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said last month that Apple had also committed to building a semiconductor research and development centre in Indonesia, calling it a “first of its kind in Asia”.

Despite the ban on iPhone sales in Indonesia, the government had allowed the devices to be brought in if they were not being traded commercially. Indonesia has also banned the sale of Google Pixel phones for failing to meet the 40 per cent local parts requirement.