Apple iPhone 16 has been blocked in Indonesia after the tech giant failed to meet the rules of the country.
According to Reuters, the industry ministry of Indonesia announced that Apple cannot sell its latest model of iPhone in the country as it does not fulfill the rules about the use of locally made components.
The ministry spokesperson, Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, stated that the requirement to sell certain phones in Indonesia domestically is that at least 40% of their parts should be manufactured locally.
As the iPhone 16 does not meet this requirement, it cannot be sold in the country.
Arief said, “Imported iPhone 16 hardware cannot be marketed in the country because Apple Indonesia has not fulfilled its investment commitment to earn a local content certification.”
He further added that citizens can still bring phones from abroad for personal use after paying the required taxes.
A research firm IDC in May 2024 revealed that the top two smartphone companies in the first quarter of the year in Indonesia were Chinese firm OPPO and South Korean firm Samsung.
Furthermore, Indonesia is one of the key target markets of South Asia for tech-related investment as it has a huge tech-savvy population.
Apple, which launched its new model, the iPhone 16, in September 2024, has not yet commented on the issue.
