The iPhone 16 ban last year imposed by the Indonesian government will finally be lifted, says a new report, the latest models going back on sale on April 11.
An end to the long-running battle between Indonesia and Apple has reportedly cost the Cupertino company at least $300M, and possibly up to $1B over ten years …
A quick recap on the iPhone 16 ban
This has been a long a difficult negotiation.
Apple initially invested in Indonesia by putting $109M into a developer academy there, with a further $10M manufacturing spend. The government said that Apple had fallen short on the first promise, spending only $95M. Despite the relative small shortfall, Indonesia banned the sale and use of iPhone 16 models in the country.
A population of around 280M and growing prosperity meant this was no small problem for Apple. The company responded by offering a ten-fold increase in its manufacturing spend in the country, from $10M to $100M. The government said it expected much more, seeking another ten-fold increase, to a cool billion dollars.
Deal now signed – but amount unclear
It was last month reported that Apple had agreed to the terms, with a deal expected to be signed shortly.
Reuters today reports that agreement has been reached, and the iPhone 16 will go back on sale on April 11. However, it cites a smaller investment of $300M.
Apple’s iPhone 16 series will be available in Indonesia from April 11, it said on Wednesday, after Jakarta lifted a ban on its sale following the company’s more than $300 million investment plan.
The reason for the discrepancy in the amount is unclear. It’s possible that Apple negotiated a better deal than expected, or that the $300M is an interim spend given that the billion dollars was expected to be invested over a 10-year period.
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