Indonesia and Apple said to agree on terms to lift iPhone 16 ban

Indonesia and Apple have agreed on terms to lift the country's ban on iPhone 16s, said people familiar with the matter, paving the way to end a five-month tug-of-war that forced the US tech giant to raise its promised investment in the country to US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion).

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JAKARTA – Indonesia and Apple have agreed on terms to lift the country's ban on iPhone 16s, said people familiar with the matter, paving the way to end a five-month tug-of-war that forced the US tech giant to raise its promised investment in the country to US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion).

The Ministry for Industry, which is responsible for upholding the ban, is set to sign a memorandum of agreement with Apple as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the talks, who asked not to be identified.

A press briefing will also be held, the people said, adding that the ministry intends to issue a permit allowing iPhone 16 sales as soon as possible.

The deal concludes a battle that started in October after Indonesia refused to issue a permit for the sale of Apple's latest device, citing a failure to comply with domestic manufacturing requirements for smartphones and tablets.

Apple then pledged to invest US$1 billion in Indonesia, an offer Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto directed his ministers to accept.

However, the Ministry of Industry in January unexpectedly upheld the ban as it sought better terms.