25-2-2025 (JAKARTA) Apple is on the cusp of reaching a landmark agreement with Indonesian authorities to reverse the controversial iPhone 16 ban, according to sources close to the matter. The deal, which could be inked within days, marks a strategic pivot in the company’s approach to the region’s fourth-most populous nation.
The resolution follows months of diplomatic and commercial negotiations after Indonesia imposed restrictions on the latest iPhone model in October 2024. The ban stemmed from Apple’s inability to satisfy the nation’s stringent requirement that mobile devices contain a minimum of 35 per cent domestically-produced components.
Whilst Apple has no immediate intentions to establish iPhone manufacturing operations within Indonesia, the American tech behemoth has laid out ambitious plans to inject $1 billion into a component manufacturing facility. This facility is expected to produce parts for smartphones and various other technological products, demonstrating Apple’s long-term commitment to the Indonesian market.
In a noteworthy aspect of the agreement, Apple will spearhead novel research and development initiatives aimed at nurturing local talent. These programmes will operate independently from the existing Apple academies, potentially creating a new pipeline of skilled technology professionals in the region.
