A staff member attends to a customer as the new iPhone 16 series smartphones go on sale at an Apple store in Beijing, China September 20, 2024. REUTERS
Feb 25 (Reuters) – Indonesia and Apple (AAPL.O), have agreed on terms to lift the country’s ban on iPhone 16s and could sign a deal as early as this week, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Indonesia banned the iPhone 16 in October after Apple failed to meet requirements that smartphones sold domestically should comprise at least 35% locally-made parts.
Since then, Indonesia’s investment minister has said Apple plans to invest $1 billion in a manufacturing plant that produces components for smartphones and other products.
Besides this investment, Apple will commit to training locals in research and development on its products and this will be done through programs other than existing Apple academies, the report said.
However, Apple has no immediate plans to start making iPhones in the country, the report said.
Apple and Indonesia’s Ministry for Industry, which was tasked with enforcing the ban, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. They did not respond to Bloomberg either.
Reporting by Pretish M J in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D’Souza
