Indonesia has issued local content certificates for 20 Apple products, including the iPhone 16, but Apple still requires additional permits to sell in the country. This approval follows a $300 million investment announcement by Apple aimed at local operations, though sales had previously been banned due to compliance issues.
On Friday, Indonesia granted local content certificates for 20 Apple products, including the iPhone 16, according to a spokesperson from the industry ministry. Although this certification is a positive step, Apple must still acquire additional permits from the communications and digital ministry and the trade ministry to proceed with sales in the country. This follows a previous ban on iPhone 16 sales due to unmet local component requirements by Apple.
The local content certificates were granted for 11 phone models and 9 tablet models, as Apple successfully fulfilled the legally mandated requirements. Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, the ministry spokesperson, stated that negotiations with Apple were complex and required several months to finalize. Currently, Apple sits outside the top five smartphone brands in Indonesia, as reported by Canalyst in the third quarter of last year.
Indonesia recently announced that Apple is investing over $300 million into expanding operations within the country, which includes establishing local component manufacturing plants and a research and development center. This investment is part of Apple’s broader strategy to enhance its market presence in Indonesia, which has seen regulatory challenges regarding local manufacturing standards in the past.
In summary, while Apple has taken significant steps by securing local content certificates for its iPhone 16 and other products in Indonesia, the company must still navigate additional regulatory hurdles to enable sales. The ongoing negotiations and investments underscore Apple’s commitment to expanding its operations in Indonesia, a key market in Southeast Asia. These developments indicate a gradually improving relationship between Apple and Indonesian regulatory bodies.
Original Source: en.tempo.co
