Apple still can’t sell its iPhone 16 in Indonesia despite striking a deal to build a local production facility there, as it has not met domestic content rules, the country’s industry minister said, reports Reuters.
In October 2024, it was reported that Indonesia was blocking the sale of the iPhone 16 line-up because Apple hadn’t compiled with local content regulations aimed at boosting the domestic industry. The tech giant has yet to fulfill its investment commitments in Indonesia and must renew its domestic component level (TKDN) license, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said.
As a result Apple offered to build a US$1 billion manufacturing facility expected to employ 1,000. But now Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita says Apple had struck a deal to build a facility producing AirTags on Indonesia’s Batam island, close to Singapore, but that still won’t count as a locally-made iPhone part.
“There is no basis for the ministry to issue a local content certification as a way for Apple to have the permission to sell iPhone 16 because (the facility) has no direct relations,” he said, adding the ministry would only count phone components.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
