iPhone 16 set to go back on sale in Indonesia as ban lifted

The Indonesian government's ban on the iPhone 16 will finally be lifted, according to a recent report, with the latest models set to go back on sale on April 11.

This marks the end of a long-running dispute between Indonesia and Apple, a conflict that has reportedly cost the Cupertino-based company at least $300 million, with potential losses of up to $1 billion over the next decade.

A Brief Overview of the iPhone 16 Ban

This has been a lengthy and complicated negotiation.

Apple initially made a $109 million investment in Indonesia by establishing a developer academy and spending an additional $10 million on manufacturing. However, the government claimed that Apple had not met its initial commitment, spending only $95 million, leading to the ban on iPhone 16 sales and usage in the country.

With Indonesia's population of approximately 280 million and growing economic prosperity, this ban was a significant issue for Apple. In response, Apple offered to increase its manufacturing investment in Indonesia by ten times, from $10 million to $100 million. The government, however, sought an even larger commitment, requesting a ten-fold increase to $1 billion.

Agreement Reached – Investment Details Unclear

Last month, reports indicated that Apple had agreed to the terms, and a deal was expected to be finalized soon.

Reuters reported today that the agreement has been reached, and iPhone 16 models will be available in Indonesia starting April 11. The report also states that Apple has made an investment of over $300 million. The reason for the discrepancy in the investment amount remains unclear. It is possible that Apple was able to negotiate a better deal than initially anticipated, or the $300 million figure represents an interim investment, with the $1 billion potentially spread out over the next decade.