Indonesia Nears Deal With Apple Inc. to Lift iPhone 16 Sales Ban Within 1-2 Weeks

Jan 22, 2025, 10:30 AM

Indonesia is on the verge of lifting its four-month ban on iPhone 16 sales, following negotiations with Apple Inc. over an investment plan. The country's investment minister, Rosan Roeslani, expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved within one to two weeks during an interview on Bloomberg Television in Davos. The ban was initially imposed due to Apple's non-compliance with Indonesia's local content regulations, which require between 35% and 40% of smartphone components to be sourced domestically. Apple has been in discussions with the Indonesian government, with offers ranging from $10 million to $1 billion, the latter of which was intended for building an AirTag factory. However, the government has been pushing for investment in iPhone component manufacturing, having previously demanded $109 million for a developer academy and $10 million for manufacturing. The potential lifting of the ban is significant for Apple, given Indonesia's large market with over 280 million people and 354 million active mobile phones.