Heaptalk, Jakarta — Indonesia bans sales of Google Pixel smartphones due to rules requiring locally manufactured components at a minimum of 40%. The block comes a week after the Ministry of Industry prohibited the iPhone 16 trade domestically as it has not yet fulfilled the local content policy.
“As long as these products have not obtained TKDN certification and met the outlined requirements, they are prohibited from being sold in Indonesia,” Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry Representative, Febri Hendri Antoni Arif, said, as cited in CNN.
As is known, Indonesia’s regulation mandates that tech companies source 40% of components for handsets and tablets from within the country. Companies can meet this requirement by engaging in local manufacturing, developing firmware domestically, or investing directly in innovation projects.
Furthermore, Hendri said that Google Pixel devices have been brought into Indonesia through two main channels: passenger carry-on items and shipped goals. This scheme is claimed to align with Article 35 of Government Regulation (PP) Number 46 of 2021 concerning Postal Services, Telecommunications, and Broadcasting.
As information, the Ministry recorded that an estimated 9,000 units of the iPhone 16 series entered Indonesia via passenger carry-on channels between August and October 2024, with taxes paid accordingly. Meanwhile, Data from the Ministry of Industry indicates that at least 22,000 Google Pixel phones across various models have entered Indonesia via these two methods.
The Industry Ministry has been closely monitoring the circulation of the iPhone 16 series in Indonesia. Due to suspected regulatory violations, the Ministry plans to take legal action against any parties advertising the iPhone 16 series on marketplaces.
If products arriving through personal baggage and shipment mechanisms are sold in Indonesia, the Google Pixel will be considered illegal. As an effect, the Google Pixel’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) could be revoked, rendering the device unusable in Indonesia.
“We are pushing these rules and are expected to gain fairness for all investors in Indonesia. Google Pixel products have not adhered to the scheme we set, making this product prohibited from selling here,” He added.
