A few days back Indonesia banned the sale of iPhone 16 models while the use of the device was also declared as illegal. The reason behind this ban was said to be an unfulfilled investment commitment from Apple. Now after iPhone 16, Indonesia has blocked the sales of Google Pixel smartphones.
It is said that the smartphones failed to meet domestic content requirements. The devices cannot be traded until they comply with rules requiring 40% local content in smartphones sold in the country and now to resume the sales of its devices, Google must obtain local content certification.
According to spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, The local content requirements and associated policies are designed to ensure fairness for all investors in Indonesia and to enhance value creation while strengthening the domestic industry. The Indonesian rule requires tech companies to source 40% of handset and tablet components domestically, a requirement that can be met through local manufacturing, firmware development, or direct investment in innovation projects.
After this decision by the Indonesian government, it is said that the foreign tech companies could either encourage them to invest in local manufacturing or drive them to seek markets with fewer restrictions. Let’s see how long will this ban last in Indonesia.
