Indonesia Bans iPhone 16: Here's The Reason Why

Indonesia has banned the sale and use of the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10, citing Apple's failure to meet investment commitments.

Hyderabad:Indonesia has imposed a ban on the sale, purchase, and use of the iPhone 16 in the country. Cautioning consumers against purchasing the device from abroad, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita announced that any of the latest models from Apple operating within the country would be considered illegal.

The list of banned devices also includes the Apple Watch Series 10 in addition to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models. The minister said that an iPhone 16 operating in the country would be considered an illegal device. Kartasasmita also encouraged people to report such instances.

The minister further explained that the device has not been granted the necessary International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) certification to operate in the country.

Currently, the iPhone 16 series is not listed on major e-commerce platforms in Indonesia, including Apple's official website. The absence of new iPhone models on these websites indicates that the restriction is already in place.

Why is the iPhone 16 banned in Indonesia?

Kartasasmita highlighted that the ban on iPhone 16 and other latest models from Apple is due to the company's unmet investment commitments in Indonesia. According to local media reports, Apple has invested 1.48 trillion rupiah ($95 million) out of the promised investment of 1.71 trillion rupiah ($109 million) in the country, leaving a gap of 230 billion rupiah ($14.75 million).

This is why the Ministry of Industry has not issued the required permits for the sale of iPhone 16 in Indonesia, the minister explained. This includes the pending issuance of the domestic component level TKDN certification.

This certification reportedly mandates a 40 per cent local content requirement for foreign devices sold in Indonesia. It is directly linked to the iPhone maker's commitment to establish R&D centres in the country.