Indonesia Bans Sales of Google Pixel Phones

Indonesia has banned the sale of Google Pixel smartphones, following a similar ban on Apple's iPhone 16, due to non-compliance with local content regulations requiring at least 40% of components to be sourced locally. Ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief emphasized that these rules are intended to ensure fairness for all investors and to bolster domestic production. Despite the bans, consumers can still purchase these devices abroad, though illegal sales within Indonesia could result in deactivation of the devices' IMEI numbers to prevent them from connecting to local networks. Experts have criticized the bans as 'pseudo' protectionism, warning they may deter foreign investment and harm consumer choice. Apple has expressed intentions to negotiate the ban, highlighting its investments in local developer academies, although these have not met the pledged amounts. This policy reflects Indonesia's commitment to increasing local manufacturing and investment in its tech sector.