iPhone 16 banned in Indonesia? There is a lot of talk but no official order

Amid growing speculation, the fate of the iPhone 16 in Indonesia remains uncertain. There has been no official announcement from the Indonesian government confirming a ban, yet reports from major Indonesian publications like Kompas.com suggest that the iPhone 16 may indeed be off-limits for sale in the country. Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita reportedly stated that the iPhone 16 could not be sold as it lacks proper certification due to unmet investment requirements by Apple.
A closer look reveals that several top e-commerce platforms in Indonesia, including Tokopedia, Blibli, and Lazada, have refrained from listing the iPhone 16. While accessories are available on these platforms, the device itself is absent. Even Apple’s official website in Indonesia is also not selling the iPhone 16 or any models in the latest lineup, indicating that a restriction may indeed be in place, though no formal government order has been issued.
The issue primarily stems from Apple’s failure to meet certain investment obligations. As of now, Apple has invested 1.48 trillion rupiah out of a committed 1.71 trillion rupiah, leaving a shortfall of 230 billion rupiah. This gap impacts the issuance of the TKDN (Domestic Component Level) certification, which mandates a 40 percent local content requirement for foreign devices sold in Indonesia.
“We, the Ministry of Industry, are yet to be able to issue permits for the iPhone 16 because there are still commitments that Apple must realise,” Minister Kartasasmita asserted to Kompas.
Additionally, the Kompas site reported that Kartasasmita had issued a clear warning to consumers, stating, “If there is an iPhone 16 that can operate in Indonesia, that means that I can say, the device is illegal. Do report it to us.”
The situation escalated after Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent visit to Jakarta, where he met with President Joko Widodo to discuss manufacturing possibilities. However, until Apple fulfills its pledge to further invest in Indonesian facilities, including the establishment of local Apple Academies for R&D, the iPhone 16’s future in the Indonesian market remains in limbo.
As Apple’s TKDN certification remains under review, Indonesian customers might have to wait longer to get their hands on the latest iPhone lineup, depending on the tech giant’s next moves.