Indonesia bans Google Pixel sales after blocking iPhone 16s over local content rules

Indonesia has banned the sale of Pixel phones, claiming that Alphabet Inc.’s Google had not met local content regulations. This follows a report from ReadWrite earlier this month stating that the country also prohibited the sale of Apple’s iPhone 16 and other newly released products from the tech giant.

Like Apple, Indonesia blocked Google Pixel phone sales, stating that the company has not met regulations requiring at least 40% of smartphone components sold domestically to be locally manufactured.

Despite the restrictions, an estimated 22,000 units have already entered Indonesia this year through personal shipments or as carry-on items, Ministry of Industry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief stated during a press briefing on Thursday (Oct. 31).

In a statement cited by Reuters, Arief added: “We are pushing these rules so that there’s fairness for all investors in Indonesia.

“Google’s products have not adhered to the scheme we set, so they can’t be sold here.”

Arief stated that consumers may purchase Google Pixel phones abroad if they pay the required taxes, adding that the country may consider deactivating phones sold illicitly.

This follows the government’s earlier decision to block sales of iPhone 16 devices in Southeast Asia’s largest economy after Apple Inc. failed to meet its investment commitments. The Cupertino, California-based company has since requested a meeting with Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita to discuss the ban, although a date has yet to be scheduled, Arief stated.

He added: “The local content rule and related policies are made for fairness for all investors that invest in Indonesia, and for creating added value and deepening the industry structure here.”

Apple reportedly pledged $109 million for Indonesian infrastructure and local sourcing but has contributed only $95 million, leaving a $14 million shortfall. This gap has led the Ministry of Industry to withhold IMEI certifications, preventing device sales in the country.

However, companies can meet requirements in various ways. Samsung and Xiaomi built manufacturing facilities, while Apple established developer academies. That said, marketing research firm Counterpoint reports that neither Google nor Apple ranks among Indonesia’s top five smartphone brands. Indonesia’s $1-trillion economy presents a growth opportunity, with over 350 million active mobile phones exceeding its 270 million population, according to government data.

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