iPhone 16 ban ending on April 11, after $300M+ deal in Indonesia – 9to5Mac

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.

Highlighted accessories

• Anker 511 Nano Pro ultra-compact iPhone charger
• Spigen MagFit case for iPhone 16e – adds MagSafe support
• Apple MagSafe Charger with 25w power for iPhone 16 models
• Apple 30W charger for above
• Anker 240W braided USB-C to USB-C cable

Photo by dapiki moto on Unsplash

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