Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 16 series, including the iPhone 16e, will soon be available in Indonesia after reaching an investment agreement with the Indonesian government. The deal resolves a ban on Apple products that had been in place since 2024 due to regulatory requirements.
Indonesia’s Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, stated that his ministry has facilitated the issuance of the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) certificate for Apple, along with securing investment commitments from the tech giant. This allowing Apple to resume its sales on iPhone 16 series banned since last year.
“After a rather lengthy process of nearly five months during which the Ministry of Industry was unable to issue Apple’s TKDN certificate, preventing it from obtaining a distribution permit, we have finally reached an agreement,” Agus said at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (February 26, 2025).
The Ministry of Industry has confirmed that the TKDN certification for Apple is now being processed. “We will issue the TKDN certificate as soon as possible. However, the distribution permit falls under the authority of the Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi),” Agus explained.
Apple’s Investment Commitments
According to CNN Indonesia, the Ministry of Industry and Apple officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 25, outlining Apple’s investment plans in Indonesia.
“We are excited to expand our investment in Indonesia and look forward to bringing our full lineup of innovative products, including the iPhone 16 series and the new iPhone 16e, to our customers here,” an Apple spokesperson stated.
According to Agus, Apple has chosen the “Innovation Development Scheme” to fulfill its TKDN obligations. Under Indonesian regulations, smartphone manufacturers must meet local content requirements through one of three options:
- Manufacturing (Scheme 1): Producing devices domestically.
- Application Development (Scheme 2): Building local applications for their devices.
- Innovation Development (Scheme 3): Investing in research, training, or development programs.
Apple has opted for the third scheme, which involves establishing training and development centers in exchange for TKDN certification.
Investment Details
Therefore, Apple and the Indonesian government have agreed on an investment cycle spanning 2025–2028. The commitments include:
- $160 million (Rp2.62 trillion) cash investment for 2026–2028 cycle under the Innovation Development Scheme.
- Expansion of the Apple Developer Academy, which provides digital training to Indonesian talent, including students.
- Establishment of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Indonesia, making it Apple’s second R&D center outside the U.S. and the first in Asia. Currently, the only other Apple R&D center outside the U.S. is in Brazil.
- $150 million investment in Batam to establish a factory producing Apple’s AirTag tracking devices.
- $10–15 million investment in Bandung for a production line dedicated to mesh fabric used in AirPods.
Read Also:
Apple Unveils Budget-Friendly iPhone 16e, Here’s the Specifications and Official Sales Date!
iPhone 16 Sales in Indonesia
Despite the agreement, Apple has not yet announced an official release date for the iPhone 16 in Indonesia. Agus suggested that the distribution permit process should be swift, allowing Apple to begin sales soon after approval.
At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Industry halted iPhone 16 sales in Indonesia due to the expiration of Apple’s TKDN certification and the lack of an investment agreement. Now that an MoU has been signed, the iPhone 16 series is expected to available in the Indonesian market in the near future.
(Raidi/Agung)
