Indonesia has officially banned the sale and use of Apple’s iPhone 16 and other recent releases.
The ban has been enforced on Apple’s iPhone 16 and later models, as well as the Apple Watch Series 10 because of it doesn’t fulfill its commitment mandated by progress research agreement with Indonesia. The Economic Times and 9to5Mac say Apple committed an investment of $109 million to create an ‘Apple academies’ and meet Indonesia’s 40-percent local content requirement for foreign companies.
However, the Ministry of Industry reported that Apple invested only $95 million, falling $14 million short. Consequently, the Ministry then refused to provide necessary IMEI certifications which means that the devices would be unusable legally in Indonesia.
Additionally, the ban includes not only sales in the future but also current device usage which is going to be challenging for both locals and travelers. Industry Minister Gumiwang Kartasasmita has also called for reports in order to enforce the ban. He said –
“If there is an iPhone 16 that can operate in Indonesia, that means that I can say, the device is illegal. Do report it to us.”
Industry Minister Gumiwang Kartasasmita
Apple has not issued an official response, yet Indonesia’s position as a key market within Southeast Asia means that Apple and techies everywhere are watching this closely.