(Image source from: tech.hindustantimes.com)
Last week, sales of the iPhone 16 were banned in Indonesia. Indonesia's Industry Minister Agus Gumiwan Kartasasmita said: The iPhone 16 is not yet available for sale in Indonesia. The country also announced that cell phone use is now illegal. The Indonesian Industry Minister also warned the population of this country not to buy foreign equipment. The reason for this ban is Apple’s “unfulfilled investment commitments.” The Cupertino giant has reportedly invested Rs 1,480 billion (approximately Rs 7,907,469,800 crore) against the promised amount of Rs 1,710 billion.
Indonesian Industry Minister Agus Gumiwan Kartasasmita has revealed that the iPhone 16 cannot be sold in Indonesia due to Apple's failure to meet key local investment requirements to obtain the necessary certifications. Despite the lack of an official government order, the absence of iPhone 16 listings on major e-commerce platforms such as Tokopedia, Blibli and Lazada, as well as Apple's official Indonesian website, supports claims of sales restrictions. The core of the problem is that Apple is failing to meet its investment commitments. The company has invested 1.48 trillion rupees so far, but 230 billion rupees short of the required 1.71 trillion rupees. The vulnerability affects Apple's ability to secure TKDN (internal component level) certification, which requires devices sold in Indonesia to contain at least 40 percent local content. Minister Karthasasmita emphasized that the ministry cannot issue the necessary approvals as long as Apple does not fulfill its obligations.
Minister Kartasasmita warned consumers that iPhone 16 sold in Indonesia without the necessary licenses should be considered illegal. He urged people to report such devices and reiterated the government's commitment to comply with local investment requirements. The warning highlights the severity of the certification gap and the Indonesian government's efforts to ensure compliance with national regulations.
The issue comes as Apple CEO Tim Cook recently visited Jakarta and met with President Joko Widodo to expand Apple's presence in Indonesia, including the possibility of setting up a local Apple Academy for research and development. Despite these discussions, no immediate solution was found and Apple is still under pressure to meet its investment commitments before continuing to sell the iPhone 16 in the Indonesian market.
Indonesian consumers may have to wait even longer before purchasing the iPhone 16 as the TKDN certification remains unclear. This situation depends on Apple's ability to meet its remaining investment commitments, which could determine whether the latest iPhone series will be officially available in the country. . Until then, the arrival of the iPhone 16 in Indonesia is uncertain and both the company and consumers are eagerly awaiting the next steps.
