Last month, many individuals obtained a remarkable new gadget, yet the iPhone 16 is entirely prohibited and illegal in one nation for an unusual reason.
In early September, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage to introduce the latest series in the iPhone collection. The ‘It’s Glowtime’ event held at Apple’s Cupertino, California campus showcased four new iPhone models.
During the presentation, Cook and his team focused heavily on AI, highlighting enhancements to the technical aspects like the camera.
A new feature was also announced by Apple, allowing users to create personalized emojis, which sparked some concerns among users.
An estimated 37 million iPhone 16s were sold during its initial release weekend, but not a single one was legally sold in one country.
Indonesia has completely outlawed the iPhone 16 model because the phone does not comply with the nation’s local investment prerequisites.
Indonesia has used trade regulations to draw foreign investments, requiring 40 percent of a product’s components to be locally sourced.
Apple seems to have not met this requirement with the iPhone 16, and reports indicate the company has also failed to meet its investment commitments in Indonesia.
The tech giant reportedly invested around $95 million in Indonesia’s economy, significantly short of the agreed amount by about $14.75 million.
The Ministry of Industry released a statement on Friday (25 October), stating: “iPhone 16s imported by registered importers cannot be sold in the country since PT Apple Indonesia has yet to fulfil its investment commitment to obtain ‘local content level’ certification on innovation.”
Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita commented: “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.”
“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,” the minister concluded.
Besides the iPhone 16, other new Apple items like the iPhone 16 Pro series and Apple Watch Series 10 are also banned in Indonesia.